Changing for the better!
by Diamond snow
Summary: A revised version of my previous story. Balancing gym leader duties, work and a girlfriend is not easy. Just ask Roark. Mainly RoarkxGardenia. Contains VolknerxCandice and hints of CynthiaxSteven. Rated for lemon and innuendos. Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.
1. Chapter 1: Gym leader life

Hello everyone! It's been a while.

I decided to delete the old story and write a new one. Hopefully, you will like this better than the old one.

Pairings include RoarkxGardenia, CandicexVolkner and hints of CynthiaxSteven. Rated for lemon, innuendos plus an odd swearing word.

* * *

Chapter one: Gym leader life.

"Whoa…". Roark stood in a lush, green forest. He could tell it was in the middle of the day since the sun was quite high. The grass was quite soft and a few flowers were scattered around. He looked down at his body. He was wearing trunks and a black T-shirt. Nothing unusual there. Suddenly, the male heard someone giggle. He turned around and saw a girl with ginger hair that reached her shoulders. She weared a light green bathrobe.

"Who are you?" asked the rock pokemon user as the female floated towards him. "I think you know who I am. Look a little closer" replied the ginger. She leaned forwards and kissed him on the lips. He felt a rush go through his body. They sat down in the grass and continued what they had started. The kisses turned more passionate. Neither of them seemed to mind. The guy WAS 22 years old after all. Suddenly, he felt some soft hands crawling up his torso. His T-shirt disappeared in a moment. Her robe slid down a couple inches. He swallowed a little when he saw her cleavage. There was no denial that he enjoyed this. Her hands begun to go south.

The auburn-haired guy did not stop her. It did not take long until his mind fell into a stupor...

* * *

"Roark! ROARK! Are you OK!". A familiar voice could be heard nearby. The male opened his eyes. "Ugh…dad?" muttered the Oreburgh gym leader. "You were moaning and tossing around a bit. Are you all right?" inquired Byron. There was a hint of worry in his voice. "Yeah. I had a nightmare. Thanks for waking me up" muttered his son. "You're welcome kid. Breakfast is in twenty minutes. Make sure to remove your bedsheets and pack your stuff" told the older man. The famous "underground man" celebrated his 78th birthday yesterday. Roark had spent the whole day with his family. It was not often his family were gathered like this. Firstly, his father plus himself were gym leaders. Reason number two were the mine responsibilities. Another important aspect was his social life. Namely, his girlfriend Gardenia. Balancing all this was a juggling act.

'Guess its time to get up. I don't want to miss out on my breakfast. Especially since I'm going back to Oreburgh today' recalled the guy. He got out of bed and stretched his body. He then noticed some spots on his trunks. 'Great. Oh well. At least nobody can joke about me being as hard as my pokemon' observed the rock pokemon user. This was starting to get ridiculous. 'I have dated Gardenia for almost a year now. However, it feels like my body is controlled by a Kadabra. Nearly every time we make out, I want to go further. Am I turning into a pervert? Or has her grass types doused her with something that makes my testosterone go berserk?' pondered the male.

He laid the dirty underwear plus his pyjamas into the overnight bag. The auburn-haired guy changed into a moss green sweater plus blue jeans. Next, he went to the kitchen. "Good morning mum" greeted the guy when he entered the room. His mother was nearly the opposite of her husband. She was nearly six inches shorter with a slim frame. Her copper coloured hair was cut in a shoulder length bob. This was a contrast to her wide baby blue eyes. "Good morning Roark! I made your favorite breakfast today. Have you borrowed a water pokemon so you can surf back?" asked the woman. "I have. Volkner was kind enough to let me borrow Octillery" replied her son. He sat down next to his father and smiled. In front of him was a small bowl of porridge. Right next to it was a couple of chopped vegetables. Lastly was a cup of green tea.

"How did the gym matches go dad?" inquired Roark. "It's busy. I had six challengers in just three days. Only two of them managed to break through my defenses. Pretty sure one of them was from Vermilion. It's a city in Kanto. I've heard their gym leader is a former navy seal" replied his father. "No wonder you lost sweetie. I bet fighting against a navy seal is gruesome" told his wife. "It surely is. Oh well. What does not kill you can only make you stronger" finished the man. Their son bit his tongue a little. It was quite odd to hear his very masculine father being referred to as "sweetie". Especially since the miner smiled every time he heard that nickname.

They kept eating while the weather forecast appeared at the screen. "The northern parts of Sinnoh will be affected by a coastal wind. This should die down later this afternoon. This low pressure is moving towards the eastern part of Sinnoh. Sunnyshore, Valor lake plus Pastoria city may experience some rain this afternoon. The low pressure is expected to subside once it reaches route 212. Now for the western area. Canalave city, route 218, Jubilife city plus Oreburgh may get some wind. The weather will remain stable for the next 24 hours" informed the meteorologist.

'Awesome. The last thing I need is a rainstorm. Feel a bit sorry for Volkner though. Especially due to the solar panels' thought the male. He finished his breakfast and stood up. "I will be leaving soon. Weren't you going to the Iron islands today dad?" inquired the rock pokemon user. "I am. Riley is picking me up in an hour or so. We're spending the rest of the day there" informed the Canalave gym leader. He took large sip of his black tea.

"Thanks for the food mum. I'll be leaving in twenty minutes or so" told the guy. His mother smiled. "I am so glad you could visit us. Send me a message when you get home. Have a safe trip" told his mother. She gave him a gentle hug. The scent of her perfume made him smile. It smelled of roses, vanilla plus some sort of wood. His father gave him a huge grin. "I'm very happy you could come as well. My dad really appreciated it. I hope you don't fall of that octopus on your way home!" stated the man. Next, the steel man gave him a bone crushing hug. It nearly knocked the air out of his slimmer son. "I...hope...so...too" replied the Oreburgh gym leader.

"Hah. You're still standing tall after my hugs. Glad to see that my son is growing strong. I bet being with Gardenia has helped you" said the Canalave gym leader. "She has. I better get packing. Have a nice trip to the Iron islands dad" answered the male. He gave his father a pat on the shoulder before he went packing. A small 'clank' was heard the bedroom door closed.

* * *

"About TIME!" muttered the female as she picked up her mail. There was a slip there from the post office. 'Pick up the package within a week. Hand in this slip when you arrive at the post office. Please bring you ID card or Pokédex with you. Sincerely, Sinnoh mail service' told the text. Gardenia made a mental checklist of what had to be done this afternoon. 'I need to get my pokemon at the center first. Second is some food shopping. I suppose I can pick up the package at the supermarket. They have a post office there after all' decided the girl. Her slim hand laid the slip into the right pocket on her shorts.

She biked towards the pokemon center with decent speed. This was her last 'gym leader duty day'. Thankfully, the only challenger today was one from Johto. 'I really did not like that huge owl they used. That pokemon nearly knocked out my entire team! I should be grateful the match ended in a tie' recalled the ginger. She turned the corner and slowed down. The pokemon center was right in front of her.

A small "ding" was heard when the female entered the center. A familiar smell of lemon soap plus alcohol made her nose tingle. A couple of trainers sat on a sofa nearby. None of them were the Johto challenger. She approached the counter. "Good evening! What can I help you with?" inquired the nurse. "Hello. I am here to pick up my pokemon" informed the grass pokemon user. "Sure. Could I get your ID please?" asked the woman. The girl showed her the gym leader certificate. "Excellent. Give me a moment please" replied Joy. She typed something in a computer while Chansey filled up their tea cups.

"Your pokemon are ready to go. Chansey, please get her pokemon. Here is the room number they are at. Gardenia, please wait over there" informed the female. "Thank you for taking care of my pokemon nurse Joy. Same goes for you Chansey" told the Eterna gym leader. The pokemon smiled before it went to get her partners.

She went to sit down. 'I need to make my pokemon a bit stronger. Especially towards types they are weak against. The closest flying type gym is in Johto. We don't have any poison type trainers nearby either. Flint is busy with his battle tower challenge. Maybe I should ask Cynthia for help. She is coming to Eterna in less than a week after all' recalled the female. Eterna city was one of the easiest to access for trainers. This resulted in a high amount of challengers. In addition, trainers were coming from different regions. The grass pokemon user tried to keep her sessions varied. Especially since some trainers used pokemon that were not native to Sinnoh. 'We already visited the underground two weeks ago. Where should I go next? Perhaps we should go to the great marsh' pondered the girl.

Gardenia knew that her pokemon needed exposure to different environments. This would make it easier for them if the opponent changed the battlefield. Furthermore, it forced them to be more creative in battle. Having pokemon that could use everything from razor leaves to vines helped a lot. 'Perhaps I should take a look at the types we're weak against. That could be-'. "Chansey!" announced a sweet voice. The female blinked her eyes. In front of her stood Chansey with a small tray. In that tray laid three familiar pokeballs.

"Ah, thank you Chansey! Keep up the good work" told the ginger. _"Thank you"_ replied the pink pokemon. "See you later. Have a good evening" said the girl. She picked up the pokeballs and exited the pokemon center. 'Let's see. Next on my plan is some food shopping. Oh, I can't forget the package either' recalled the grass pokemon user. It did not take her long to get to the mart. Biking was a lot faster than walking.

She parked the bike outside the mart and picked up her grocery list. 'Let's see. I need some hyper potions plus full heals for my team. Maybe I should get some treats if they're on sale. I definitely need some green tea leaves plus toothpaste. Pretty sure I need some flour too. I need to bake a new batch of rolls tomorrow' thought the female. She went straight for the pokemon area of the shop first. 'I think I need two of those plus three of those. Four full heals should suffice' decided the Eterna gym leader. She was fortunate enough to have berries in her back yard. They solved most issues, but some grew slower than others.

The girl had just picked up the tea leaves when she spotted something in the magazine rack. It was a manga with a rather unusual cover art. 'Huh? What kind of manga is - oh'. Her pale cheeks turned light red. This was one of THOSE magazines. Tangerine eyes glanced to each side. The only person nearby was an elderly man who read the sports news. She decided to take a quick peek inside the magazine. 'Hm. This is not as bad as I thought. I think I'll buy it' decided Gardenia. Battle strategies was not the only outlet for her creative side. Roark in particular knew this quite well. Especially since he was less...creative than her.

'Thank Arceus that he is open-minded' thought the female. She went straight to the cash register once she got her remaining items. Behind the counter sat a middle-aged woman with teal hair. 'Phew. This would be SO awkward if it was a guy' thought the ginger. She laid her groceries on the counter one by one. "Could you please call someone to the mail counter? I have to pick up a package" inquired the girl. "Sure thing" replied the older female. She pressed a button behind the counter. "Thank you" told the grass pokemon user before she handed over the money. A young man arrived a few minutes later.

"Hello. I am here to pick up a package. Here is the slip" said the female. "Th-thank you" stuttered the guy. 'He seems a bit nervous. I wonder why' thought the Eterna gym leader. The employee went to the back to pick up her package. A minute later, he came back with a cardboard box. His eyes were a bit shifty. "Are you all right?" inquired the girl. "S-sorry. It's not very often I get to talk to a gym leader. Outside the gym that is" admitted the guy. "Don't worry. I am just like most people" assured Gardenia. He let out a nervous laugh. "Well...that's reassuring. Oh. You need to sign this paper" told the clerk. He handed her a clipboard plus a pen. She signed the delivery note. "Here you go! You guys have really good service. Have a great day" said the female. The young male turned light red. 'Time to get home!' decided the ginger before she biked home.

* * *

"OK. I'll be climbing onto you now" told the male in a steady voice. _"Ready"_ replied the water pokemon. Roark stepped into the shallow area of the water as carefully as possible. Octillery extended its tentacles in case the human fell. "All right. Do you want me to lean on your head? That should give you better mobility" suggested the guy. The pokemon gave him a nod. "OK then. Here I come" told the rock pokemon user. He placed his hands on the octopus' head. Next, the male distributed his weight on both hands.

"I'm ready to surf when you are Octillery" informed the auburn-haired guy. _"Hold on"_ muttered Octillery. The pokemon wrapped a tentacle around each of his legs. Doing so made his position more secure. Next, the water pokemon used its six tentacles to make a surf. "Whooaaa!" shouted the guy as they surfed across the small stream. A nearby fisher looked at them with a surprised look. It was not often you saw someone surf on an Octillery. Especially not a gym leader who used rock types.

'Note to self: catch a water pokemon that is large enough to carry you!' thought the guy. He tried to keep stable as they approached land. Sadly, this proved a bit hard for the trainer. Roark toppled forwards when they were just a foot away from the grass. Octillery immediately used his tentacles to toss the human aside. "OUFF!" exclaimed the male as he landed on the grass. The pokemon gave him a blank stare. "Sorry about that Octillery. I guess I need to do some more surf training. Thank you for helping me out. I can see why Volkner have you on his team" told the rock pokemon user.

Octillery gave him a small nod. "I'll return you now. You'll be back with your trainer very soon" promised the guy. He returned the pokemon to its pokeball and put on his shoes. 'Maybe I should add an electric or flying type on my team. According to Gardenia, they cause a lot of issues for her team' recalled the auburn-haired guy. He pulled out the folding bicycle and started to bike towards Jubilife.

Dating a gym leader who used a different type brought more positives than negatives. Firstly, his girlfriend understood how the life as a gym leader was. Especially since they started around the same time. They knew what kind of issues or advantages the profession had. Another great thing was the insight in the other type. This was a huge advantage when facing this type in a gym battle. 'I wonder if there are any electric type moves my pokemon can learn. Better ask Volkner about that' decided the male. He smiled when he saw the large, blinking tower. This meant that Jubilife city was straight ahead.

The Oreburgh gym leader embraced himself as he biked into the large city. He turned right once he biked past the Jubilife TV station. Biking through such a large city was a bit claustrophobic. Huge crowds of people made the introverted guy feel uncomfortable. The guy felt most at home in the mines or less populated areas. They were more quiet and less packed.

A small 'ding' was heard when he entered the pokemon center. Roark went straight to the transfer machine. He laid the pokeball in the designated area before he typed in the required information. A light under the pokeball area started to glow. SCHWOOOP! "Yikes!" squeaked the male as he pokeball vanished. He heard a couple girls giggle behind him. 'Great. I think this is the first time I've squeaked since - nevermind. Time to get home' decided the rock pokemon user. He walked straight out of the pokemon center and biked east.

'Aaaaah. THIS is why I like biking' realized the guy as he left Jubilife. Route 203 was quite a contrast to Jubilife. Only the sounds of pokemon could be heard in this area. In addition, the air smelled of wood mingled with grass. The fact that autumn was approaching made it only better. Most of the leaves were changing into faint gold yellow or orange. The Oreburgh gym leader took a deep breath as he biked up the hill. A smile formed at his face when he saw Oreburgh gate. He biked into the small cave and disappeared into the darkness.


	2. Chapter 2: Growing stronger - together

Chapter two: Growing stronger - together.

Please tell me what you think about this story this far.

* * *

'Phew. I'm cooked' thought the male as he entered the apartment. He turned on the lights once he closed the door behind him. 'Thank Arceus that it is Saturday. This week has been the busiest in my life' thought Roark. It had been a week since the birthday party. The guy decided to throw himself into work. This strategy worked quite well. Firstly, the dreams about his girlfriend were nearly gone. The improved sleep caused a positive change at the Oreburgh gym too. Four of the challengers did not win their match. One trainer tied thanks to a well-placed magical leaf. Only two challengers won the Coal badge. 'I hope I can keep up the streak. Especially since I'm getting challengers from other regions. Some use pokemon I have never seen' recalled the miner.

He went straight into the bathroom. The rock pokemon user stripped off his working clothes, and turned on the shower. A sigh escaped his lips when the warm water ran down his body. It did not take long until his muscles relaxed. 'Perhaps I should try those stretching exercises that I saw at TV. That should help some of the cramping. Or maybe I should ask Gardenia if one of her pokemon can use that aromatherapy move' mused the male.

Burgundy eyes glanced at the bottles in the shower. He picked up the soap bottle, and squeezed it hard. Some blobs of transparent liquid came out. 'Hmph. I better replace that bottle. Do I have anything left in the cupboard?' pondered the Oreburgh gym leader. He washed his hair first. Next were his body parts. 'Looks like this bottle needs to be thrown out. I barely have anything left' noticed the guy. Once everything was clean, he got out. The rock pokemon user dried his body after he turned off the shower tap. Next thing on his list was to sort out his hair.

'There goes my last knot. Good riddance. Time to see if there is anything left in the cupboard' decided the male. He opened the cupboard to check what was there. 'I got toothpaste, shaving foam, razor, aftershave, body lotion -'. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door. 'I wonder who that could be' thought the Oreburgh gym leader. He put on a pair of clean boxers plus pajamas pants first. 'I doubt it's someone from the mine. They would have called if there was an emergency. My father is at the Iron Islands with Riley. Perhaps it's someone who does deliveries' thought the guy.

He opened the door. A somewhat blurry human with orange hair stood in front of him. "Hi there!" told the female. He squinted his eyes a little to see who it was. "Gardenia? What are you doing here?" inquired the auburn-haired male. "Just an afternoon trip. I had to deliver something to the museum. Can I come in please?" asked Gardenia. "Er - sure" answered the male. He stepped aside so his girlfriend come in.

"How has your gym leader week been?" inquired the girl. "I lost two matches and won four. My last match was a tie. You've been warned Gardenia. Two challengers from Johto may visit you soon" warned her boyfriend. The tone in his voice made her smile. "Thank you for the warning sweetie" told the female. She reached up and kissed him. He did not hesitate to return the favour. Next, Roark placed his hands on her hips. His move made the grass pokemon user tense. The male noticed this and broke the connection. He knew something was wrong.

The female glanced at him. She was 100% aware of how hot her cheeks felt right now. 'I did not know that Roark was so muscular. His slim body is quite deceiving' realized Gardenia. Her tangerine eyes moved to his face. The guy looked a bit cute without his glasses on. His strong jawline however balanced things out nicely. Some strange force took over the girl. Her arms circled around his neck while her head leaned onto his shoulder.

'I have to admit that this feels really nice. Better be gentle when I hug her back. The last thing I want to do is to choke her' realized the male. He lifted his arms and hugged her back. The ginger felt her face turn magenta pink. 'I wonder how his hair feels like' pondered the Eterna gym leader. She lifted her hands and begun to massage his scalp. Good thing that her nails were on the shorter side. This action sent chills down her boyfriends' spine. "Mmmh…please don't stop Gardenia…" muttered the rock pokemon user. He had to lean against the wall for support. She was nearly too good at this. This new sensation was different from kissing or hugging.

'He he, it's working' thought the grass pokemon user and giggled. It seemed as if 'Roark the rock' was starting to crumble in front of her. She stood on the tip of her toes and kissed his collarbones. The guy let out a small growl while he let his hands wander up to her waist. A low voice in his head told him to go higher. 'No…I can't…' thought the Oreburgh gym leader while trying to regain control. Sadly, his hormones were the ones in charge right now. Both of his hands moved further up his girlfriends' waistline.

His action did not go unnoticed. She stopped kissing when she felt his hands travel further upwards. "Uhm Roark…what are you doing?" inquired the Eterna gym leader. "I'm sorry…I moved too fast" muttered the male. He looked away in shame before he put on a warm beige sweater. Both of the sat down on the bed. The girl sighed and put his glasses on his face. "Now…can you please tell me what's wrong? You know I don't like to see you hurt" told Gardenia. The guy did not feel very comfortable. Talking about emotions was not enjoyable for him. However, keeping it inside would not make things any better. Especially since this involved his girlfriend as well.

The auburn haired guy took a deep breath while he tried to rearrange his thoughts. "I don't know if it's anything wrong. My emotions are a bit haywire" confessed the male and blinked. "What way? Have I done anything wrong?" asked the female. "It's not your fault. My feelings for you has changed somehow. Not sure if it is a change for the better however" muttered Roark. The ginger felt her heart skip a beat. Her boyfriend must have noticed how pale her face was. "GAH, THAT CAME OUT WRONG! Sorry about that. I am still in love with you. However, feel free to beat me up when I'm finished. I'm not sure if you like what I have to say. Hence the warning" ranted the rock pokemon user. His girlfriend let out a sigh of relief.

"Jeezes. You scared me for a moment. What do you mean that your feelings have changed somehow?" quoted the girl. 'Right. Time to confess' decided the guy. He looked at her while trying to ignore how hot his face felt. "How should I put this? I sometimes get a certain...urge...when we are physically close" admitted the Oreburgh gym leader. It took him quite an effort to keep his voice steady. "You mean like…adult urges?" replied the grass pokemon user. Her boyfriend only nodded in reply. The tomato-red shade on his face just confirmed his statement.

'All right, so he confessed what he felt. That is great. The bad thing is that I have no clue on how to handle this. This is my first real relationship as an adult. However, we're not kids anymore. It's perfectly normal for people at our age to have sex' thought the female. She took a deep breath. "I-I am very happy you told me this. I guess I should tell you how I feel about this" confessed the 21-year old. "Go ahead" said the auburn haired guy. He felt his heart pound quite loud.

"Well…I wonder how you think of our relationship. The physical side to be more exact. I mean, I'm fine with French kissing or hugging. That's all familiar territory to me. What comes next however, is unfamiliar. To me at least. My initial reaction if someone touched my breasts is to push the person away or slap them" informed the female with a small laugh. "I'm glad I stopped there. You would have given me a black eye if not" chuckled Roark. She could not help but to laugh a little as well. "However, we're not teenagers anymore. I have to admit that I would like to go a step further" sighed the male and laid an arm around his girlfriend.

"Maybe that's the solution!" exclaimed Gardenia as she perked up. "Come again?" inquired her boyfriend. He had a somewhat confused look at his face. "You're a genius Roark! We can just go one step at the time! What do you think?" asked the girl. The spark in her orange eyes reflected her energetic voice. "It makes perfect sense to me honestly" replied the rock-pokemon user. He was glad to have such a lively girlfriend. Working in the mineshaft could get rather dreary sometimes.

Thankfully, the grass pokemon user was able to kick some energy into his life. "Oh, that reminds me! I got your birthday present right here. Yes, I'm aware that your birthday was AGES ago. The shipping was a bit late" told his girlfriend. She handed him a green plastic bag with a package inside it. "Thank you. Do you mind if I open it later? I need to take a phone call" inquired the guy. The female shook her head. "No, I don't. I'm afraid I need to go. My pokemon are home alone. They're probably spraying my living room with spores now. We have to plan a date soon. It's been way to long" replied the Eterna gym leader. "I agree. See you later. Have a safe trip back home" told Roark. He gave her a good bye kiss before she left.

* * *

"Hello everyone!" greeted the female as she entered her apartment. It did not take long until a familiar trio emerged from the kitchen. _"GARDENIA!"_ greeted the three pokemon. All of them were smiling. "So, how did it go?" inquired Gardenia. Turtwig and Roserade glanced at Cherubi. 'Oh shoot. This can't be good' thought the girl. Especially since her smallest pokemon looked ashamed. "What is it Cherubi?" inquired the grass pokemon user. She tried to keep her voice polite.

_"Uhm...I want to show you something"_ told Cherubi. She began to hop towards the living room. Her trainer plus the other pokemon were right behind. 'What the-' thought the female. A number of glowing leaves laid at the floor. 'That looks like razor leaf. Hang on a minute. Razor leaves do not shine like that' realized the ginger. Her tangerine eyes looked at her smaller pokemon. "Have you learned magical leaf Cherubi?" asked the girl. _"Yes"_ replied her partner. The other two pokemon nodded in agreement as well.

"Congratulations Cherubi! I'm SO proud of you!" exclaimed the Eterna gym leader. She gave Cherubi a big hug. Her partner let out a squeal. "Magical leaf is an AWESOME move! It won't miss no matter how many double team the enemy use! This is great!" told the female. She put her pokemon down and walked to the kitchen. All three bowls were empty. "Do you girls want any water?" inquired Gardenia. All three of them nodded.

_"How was your visit in Oreburgh?"_ inquired Roserade. Her scarlet eyes looked at her trainer. "Are you asking about my trip?" replied the girl. The pokemon nodded. "I went to the museum first. That went quite well. Next, I visited Roark to give him the present. He was...". She felt her cheeks turning as pink as Cherubi. Seeing her boyfriend shirtless was not an everyday experience. _"Are you all right?"_ asked the grass pokemon. "I-I am all right Roserade. You'll get your water in a minute" replied her trainer.

She poured cold water into three plastic bowls. "Here you go. Bedtime is in an hour" told Gardenia in a firm voice. Her partners started sipping on the water straight away. The female sat down in front of the TV. 'Calm down Gardenia. You have seen guys without shirts plenty of times. Wake walks around shirtless on a near daily basis for starters!' recalled the ginger.

Roark was a different story however. He was not as bulky as the Pastoria gym leader for starters. The male had not inherited his fathers muscular build either. 'Well...that's not entirely true. Both of them got broad shoulders. Roark is a bit thinner than Byron though. I can't complain however. That mine work has given him a nice physique' thought the girl. She could not help but to smile a little before she lifted her wrist.

Her nostrils flared a little. A grass gym leader from Kanto had sent her a set of trial perfumes. 'I better send her a thank you note. This perfume smells LOVELY! Not only that, but I can still smell it. That's quite a feat given that I put it on this morning' recalled the grass pokemon user. A cocktail of violet, blood grapefruit, gardenia plus woodsy smells made her nose tingle.

'Let's see which appointments I got tomorrow' thought the female. First thing in the morning was a match with a local trainer. Up second was a lunch date with Cynthia. The champion wanted to hear how the gym was coming along. Especially since trainers from other regions were travelling to Sinnoh. 'I have to say, we're lucky to have Cynthia. I'm happy to work for a champion who cares' thought Gardenia. She turned on the TV and stretched her body. It was time to see what was going on in the region. Staying updated was an important part of her job.

* * *

An arm slammed the alarm clock shut. Burgundy eyes looked at the cell phone. 'Today is...gym leader day. I have two matches today. First one is in two hours. Awesome' thought the male. He let out a yawn as he got out of bed. First thing on his list was to get some strong tea. Roark turned on the TV after he put on the water boiler. 'I think I'll skip the chamomile tea. Perhaps I should give it to Gardenia. Or her pokemon' decided the guy. The surprise visit yesterday had caught him somewhat off guard. His girlfriend usually gave him a call or text before visiting him.

'Oh well. I got to see her. Plus that I got my vitamin injection' mused the rock pokemon user. "Here is the photo of the day. It was taken by Caroline from the Kanto region. She took this photo in Floaroma two days ago. Just look at the gorgeous colours on display!" told the presenter. Moments later, a colourful photo from Floaroma town. 'Not bad. Maybe I should take Gardenia there on our next date. Pretty sure we both have some days off soon' recalled the male.

The couple usually travelled a bit on their dates. Bikes or using a sturdy pokemon were go to modes of transportation. They had visited each other cities, Canalave, Jubilife plus some routes so far. It was not unusual for them to celebrate birthdays with gym leaders either. Especially if Byron was the person in question. The rock pokemon user smiled when he remembered after the conference. "You're dating Gardenia? At least it's someone who knows how gym leader life it's like! Good choice son. I'm sure she'll bring some balance to our lives" had his father told.

'I have to say that my father was right. Having her in my life has made things better' thought the guy. He ate his breakfast while watching the Sinnoh news. The most interesting turned out to be the Hearthome contest. Fantina was the guest judge as per usual. After the news were done, it was time to get dressed. The Oreburgh gym leader put on a clean set of clothes and picked up his pokeballs. 'Time to get down to business. I wonder which kind of trainer I will face. The only thing I know is that they have no Sinnoh badges' recalled the male.

A fresh breeze caressed his face once he stepped outside. He smiled as he walked towards the Oreburgh gym. Since it was 08:30 AM, the streets were empty. Everybody were either at school or work. The auburn-haired guy picked up his Cradily keychain and unlocked the doors. 'My challenger should be here in half an hour. Time to run through the checklist' decided the guy. He picked up the laminated sheets after turning on the lights. Having a safe battle field was crucial for trainers and their pokemon.

* * *

"I CHOOSE YOU CHERUBI!" shouted the female. She tossed the pokeball into the arena. 'I need to win this! We're both on our last pokemon!' thought Gardenia. "Kirlia, use double team!" ordered the guy at the other side. Gardenia knitted her brows as the pokemon multiplied. 'Maybe I should go offensive like Roark does. Magical leaf will hit my enemy after all. Besides, that Kirlia is getting tired. Its trainer is on the defensive now' observed the girl.

"Cherubi, use growth!" told the grass pokemon user. "CHE-RUBI!" stated her partner. It grew larger in size while its enemy danced around it. 'I need to get that Kirlia close. Psychic types usually have lower defense than average. However, I can't let my guard down. Especially since it knows confusion' thought the female.

"Hang in there Cherubi! Remember what you learned!" encouraged the ginger. Her partner knitted its brows in determination. Suddenly, the Kirlias came in closer. 'Pretty sure the trainer will attack from behind or the side. He did that with his Servine' recalled the girl. "TURN AROUND AND USE MAGICAL LEAF!" shouted the Eterna gym leader.

Cherubi spun on its little heel and unleashed a storm of sparkling leaves. The opponent was hit square in the face by an array of magical leaves. "KI!" screamed the pokemon. It flied backwards and crashed into a tree trunk. Both trainers watched the psychic pokemon in anticipation. It did not arise. "Kirlia is unable to fight! Victory goes to Cherubi! The winner is the gym leader Gardenia!" announced the referee.

The challenger jogged towards its partner. "Kirlia! Are you all right?" inquired the blonde after he picked up his pokemon. "Kir...lia" replied Kirlia. The female glanced at the pokemon. She could not see any severe injuries. "Good job partner. I can tell you did your best" muttered the guy. He returned his pokemon to its pokeball. Next, he walked towards the gym leader. "Thank you for the fight Gardenia. This is the toughest fight I've had since facing Roark" told the blonde in an honest voice.

"I am happy to hear that. By the way, your Kirlia is very resilient. She - or he - defeated one of my toughest pokemon" replied Gardenia. Her opponent smiled. "My Kirlia evolved from Ralts recently. I think we'll challenge you once he is better adjusted. Thank you for the kind words. Have a good day" said the trainer. They shook hands and the challenger left the gym.

She turned her attention to Cherubi a few minutes later. "You were great Cherubi! Looks like we did the right thing today. Your magical leaf was awesome. We better use that in the future matches" praised the girl. _"Thank you!"_ replied her partner. She sported a huge smile on her face. "I'll leave you at nurse Joy tonight. You have earned some rest" told the grass pokemon user. The female returned Cherubi to her pokeball. Next, she closed up the gym for the day.

It was a crisp autumn day in Eterna city. A fresh breeze made the fallen leaves fly across the pavement. 'Aaaaah. This is LOVELY' thought the Eterna gym leader. One reason she loved Sinnoh was the seasons. Her region he distinctive seasons compared to Hoenn for instance. In addition, this forced the inhabitants to adapt. She smiled when she saw a Magikarp swimming in a nearby pond.

'I'm glad I did not lose today. Cynthia requires us to have a certain standard. Especially those of us who do not live in remote areas. She made that quite clear on our previous lunch date' recalled the female. Tangerine eyes scanned the area near the pokemon statue. Moments later, they spotted a familiar blonde woman. "Cynthia! Long time no see" greeted Gardenia. The older woman turned around. "I agree Gardenia. It has been a very long time. Glad to see you too" replied the champion. Her sincere smile emphasized her statement.

Both women walked towards the herb shop. In addition to selling herbs, they sold herbal teas as well. A small chime was heard when they entered the shop. It was situated in an old building that was refurbished last year. However, the wood-based interior much remained the same. The smell of different herbs mingled with lemon soap made the duo smile. A woman, a man plus a Tangela stood behind the counter.

"Do you want green tea Cynthia?" inquired the girl. Her guest gave her a nod. The grass pokemon user walked up to the counter. "Hello. I would like a pot of green tea plus two cups please" told the female. "A pot of green tea and two cups. Please take a seat. We will bring the pot to your table in a few minutes" told the brunette. "Thank you" told the Eterna gym leader. The duo sat down at a table in the back.

"I would like to dive straight into business. We need to be time-efficient. Are you all right with that?" inquired the female. The younger girl gave her a nod. "Fantastic. I need a statistic over the win-loss matches for the last three months first. Next, I would like to get a plan of your training regime. Lastly, we can talk about our personal lives. I don't want my gym leaders to suffer. Especially if I or my pokemon can help" told the blonde.

"I believe you will find what you need here" told Gardenia. She handed her boss a bright orange folder with some paper sheets inside. The older female nodded while she checked her papers. "Let's see if I get this right. Your gym has been challenged 30 times. You have lost eleven matches and won sixteen times. The remaining three were tied. Ten trainers were from Sinnoh while eight were from Kanto. Another six were from Johto while four were from Hoenn. The last two were from Unova. Is that correct?" inquired the champion. "That is correct. Oh, there is one match missing. I won a gym match today. Pretty sure the trainer was from Unova" informed the female.

The older woman gave her a satisfied smile. "That is music to my ears Gardenia. Now for your pokemon. You had a Turtwig, a Cherubi plus a Roserade last time. Any changes there?" inquired Cynthia. "Only one. My Cherubi recently learned magical leaf. I have decided to use her more in battle. That should make her evolve into Cherrim" replied the ginger. "That sounds like a good plan. Do you have any training regiment in mind?" inquired Cynthia. Her friend went silent for a few moments. She trained in the forest on a regular basis. Furthermore, her pokemon trained underground last month.

"Sorry. I am a bit lost there" admitted the girl. Her sheepish voice matched her facial expression perfectly. "No worries. Maybe you should travel up north? Exposing your pokemon to colder climate could be what you need. Especially since ice types spell trouble for grass types. Now, I don't want you to put your pokemon through ice hell. Perhaps you can do some daytime training in the snow? Or ask Candice for a-". She was interrupted when Tangela approached their table. The pokemon placed the cups plus the pot on the table. "Thank you Tangela" told the grass pokemon user. She gave Tangela the money before she poured tea into both cups.

"Thank you for the suggestions boss. I think Candice will be more than happy to get a visit. My gym have not been shut down since last time either. So...I suppose its time for the personal life part" laughed the female. "It is. How are you doing outside the gym Gardenia?" replied the champion. "Not too bad actually. I did a demonstration match at the matchup channel a month ago. Roark celebrated his birthday two weeks ago as well. That was a lot of fun. Sadly, my present did not get here on time. I had to deliver it to him yesterday. So much for ordering online" told the ginger. She tried to keep the image of her shirtless boyfriend under wraps.

"I am so pleased to hear you and Roark are doing well. Do you take time to date or go on trips when you have breaks?" inquired the woman. "We do. Especially since Roark got a rather demanding job. If we don't travel, we visit each other. Oreburgh city is just a bike ride away from Eterna after all. Makes me feel sorry for Candice and Volkner. They live REALLY far apart" stated the girl. Her boss took a sip of her tea while she listened to her friend. She could not help but to smile a little. It was funny when you looked at them separately. The person in front of her was an outgoing, funny grass pokemon user who smelled like flowers. The Oreburgh gym leader was a more introverted, hardworking rock pokemon user.

'Maybe that is why they go so well together. They balance each other out. Kind of like with me and Stev-'. She shook her head a little. "I am happy on your behalf Gardenia. Do you have any plans for the next couple of months?" asked the blonde. "Number one at my list is to visit Candice. My grass pokemon are going to get some ice type training. Then is another date with Roark. Lastly, I am going to get in touch with Erika. The grass gym leader from Kanto" clarified the Eterna gym leader. "Why her?" inquired the older female. "She is a very experienced gym leader. In addition, maybe my pokemon can contribute to her perfumes" told the girl. "That sounds like a plan. Cheers Gardenia" told the blonde before they clunk their cups.


	3. Chapter 3: Spit it out

Chapter three: Spit it out.

Volkner let out a small sigh. He just finished his last gym match of the week. A total of five trainers had visited him in just three days. "Thank you SO much for the match! It was incredible to fight against you Volkner!" told the trainer. "You're welcome. Which region did you come from again?" inquired the male. "I'm from Laverre city in the Kalos region" replied the challenger. "That's very far away. Where are you going next?" asked the electric type trainer. "I'm going to Pastoria after I've visited the lakes. Have a nice day Volkner!" told the foreigner before they left. "Same to you" replied the young man. The Kalos trainer had barely left when the phone started to ring.

'Roark? That's unusual' observed the Sunnyshore gym leader while he raised an eyebrow. He pressed the green button on the phone. "Hello Roark" greeted the guy. "Hello Volkner. How are you doing?" asked the familiar voice. "Not too bad. I'm on my way to the pokemon center. Just got defeated by someone from Kalos. Wake better be ready. That trainer is heading towards Pastoria. I bet there will be some waves in the marshes" informed the blonde. A faint laugh could be heard at the other end of the phone.

"I wanted to ask you about something" confessed his friend in a serious voice. "Go ahead" told the male as he rounded a corner. "It's about me and Gardenia" informed the other male. "Keep going" told his friend as he walked towards the pokemon center. His heart was beating a little faster. "Hold on to your phone. I have had those kind of…adult dreams about her. I've never been in a situation like this before. What should I do?" ranted the miner. The guy could nearly feel his friend turn tomato red at the other end. "I see. How is Gardenia doing in all this?" inquired Volkner. "I just talked to her. Both of us wants to move at our own speed though. Any ideas?" asked the male. His friend had been dating Candice for over a year now. In fact, they started earlier than Roark and Gardenia.

"Ideas huh…" muttered the electric type trainer. He tried to kick his mind into action. Neither of them said anything for a minute or so. It felt like an eternity for Roark. However, he knew that his friend was the right person to ask. Calling Byron would be too embarrassing. "I think I have a good plan. Don't you have unusually warm hands?" inquired the guy. "I do. Have no idea why though" replied his friend. "Great. Now, here's my plan…".

* * *

Someone knocked on the door. 'I wonder who that is' pondered the girl. She opened up the door, only to find her boyfriend. He looked somewhat ashamed. "Can I come in Gardenia?" inquired the rock pokemon user. The tangerine-eyed girl nodded before she let him in. The two sat down at the couch. "Listen Gardenia. I am so sorry for - uhm - touching you somewhere you did not like. I feel so ashamed" confessed the male. His voice matched the embarrassed tone of his voice. "I accept your apology Roark. Like we agreed, we're going to move at our own speed" told his girlfriend. The auburn haired guy let out a sigh of relief.

The guy stepped forwards and pulled her into a hug. His arms encircled her slim waist without any issues. His girlfriend smiled. The female always enjoyed being in her boyfriends arms. 'Now to part two. I hope she won't kill me…' prayed the Oreburgh gym leader. He sneaked his hands under her T-shirt. 'Hm? What is - oh. This feels really good actually' thought Gardenia. A satisfied smile formed at her round face. 'Phew. She likes it' thought the male. He kept stroking her back in a gentle manner. 'I never noticed how soft her skin actually is. It feels like those flowers at her gym' noticed the auburn-haired guy.

His girlfriend however felt a new sensation spread through her body. It felt as if her legs were turning into jelly. The grass pokemon fan decided to lean towards her boyfriend to get support. She lifted her hands a little and circled them around his neck. 'Seems like the advice I got is working. Perhaps I should move a little higher up. However, I need to take it slowly. I don't think I have touched her this way before' realized the male. He moved his hands a little further up in a slow motion. They were now at her waistline. It didn't seemed like she mind it at all. Suddenly, his girlfriend started to giggle.

"Sorry, but you're tickling me a little" laughed the female. "You don't mind?" inquired Roark as he raised his eyebrows. "Not at all. However, I think we just found a new tickle spot" giggled the ginger. Both of them laughed a little bit. "Good to know where your tickle spots are. Makes it easier for me if I want to surprise you" told the guy. He loosened his grip a little while the grass pokemon user closed her eyes. She enjoyed the physical contact quite a lot. 'His skin is quite a lot rougher than mine. I don't mind it though. He is really gentle' noticed the girl. She suddenly noticed just where his hands were. They were only four-five inches away from her chest. Her initial reaction was to push away those hands. However, she suddenly remembered who owned those hands. Her tangerine eyes looked up at her boyfriend.

His eyes were closed while his lips were turned upwards. Being so close to one another physically was a wonderful feeling. Suddenly, the phone rang. "Crap. This BETTER be important" muttered the male. He rolled his eyes while his girlfriend checked her phone. "Oh shoot! It's my landlady Miki!" exclaimed the female. Her landlady only called her when there was an emergency. 'PLEASE don't let it be stray Zubats or Stunky! They are a NIGHTMARE to get rid off!' prayed the Eterna gym leader.

"Hello! Is it you Gardenia?" greeted a familiar voice. It was her landlady. "Yes" replied the girl. "The apartment complex is going through a renovation next week. Some electricians are going to replace the heating system in your apartment next Tuesday. The good news is that the insurance covers it. However, you need to stay somewhere else for two days" informed the woman. "That's all right. Next week is my week off after all. Thank you for letting me know. Do you want me to hand in the keys before I leave?" inquired the Eterna gym leader. "Yes, that would be great. I will be in my office from 9 AM. Just knock on my door or let my See you later Gardenia" told Miki. "See you later" replied the female. She hung up after her landlady did.

"So…what was that?" inquired her boyfriend. "It was my landlady. My apartment complex is getting renovated in just a few days. This means I have to live somewhere else for a few days. Some electricians are fixing the heat system in my apartment. Maybe I should call Candice. Pretty sure she's having next week off as well. I can't be at my parents house though. They are visiting some relatives in Hoenn" recalled Gardenia. "Uhm...may I suggest a third option?" asked the rock pokemon user. His girlfriend looked at him with a quizzical expression.

"You could live in my apartment. I have a guest room. Besides, I have a couple days off next week" offered the guy. "You sure you don't mind?" asked the girl. "N…no, off course not. You're my girlfriend after all. I could use some human company as well. Rampardos is not a huge movie fan after all" laughed the Oreburgh gym leader. "Thank you!" squealed the ginger while she gave him a hug. "You're...welcome..." muttered the male while trying to breathe. His girlfriend let him go moments later. "Oh, I better call Candice! I hope she's not busy. See you tomorrow!" told the female. She gave him a peck on the cheek prior to her departure. 'One thing is for sure. My life is a lot less boring with Gardenia in my life' concluded her boyfriend with a smile on his face.

* * *

"Jeezes. Today must be the dullest day since we got that blizzard" muttered the young woman. She was on her way home after a trip to the supermarket. Her Abomasnow was taking a rest at the pokemon center. 'I wish something exciting would hap-'. Suddenly, her cell phone started to ring. The Snowpoint gym leader raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Hello Gardenia! What's up?" greeted the female. "Hello Candice! Is it a bad time?" inquired her friend. "No, not at all. I am on my way home" informed the black-haired woman.

"I wonder if you got some time off next week" inquired the grass pokemon user. Her friend racked her mind for plans next week. "Uhm...I only have plans for Monday. How come?" asked the young woman. "My apartment is getting the heating system renovated. I wondered if I could stay with you for a day or two. The renovation starts on Tuesday" informed the female. Her friend felt her lips turn up in a big smile. "That's great! I don't have any plans those days. Off course you can stay with me! I owe you one remember?" recalled Candice.

The early autumn weather in Snowpoint was quite unpredictable. During the snowstorm last month, Gardenia let some of the Snowpoint gym pokemon stay in the Eterna gym. This was really beneficial for Snover as well as Abomasnow. "Thank you so much Candice! I should be in Snowpoint in two days. The weather forecast looks the most promising that day" told the ginger. "Two days sounds great! It's the first day of my week off as well. See you later!" replied the female. "See you Candice" told her friend. She hang up a few moments later.

_"Who was that?"_ inquired the gigantic ice pokemon. "We're getting visitors in a few days buddy. Looks like this day just took a turn for the better. Oh, that reminds me. I need to do some cleaning!" exclaimed the ice pokemon trainer. Abomasnow noticed that the spark in her ash brown eyes was back. The smile on her face confirmed what just happened. It made the pokemon feel happy as well. Her life had become richer after the young woman caught her years ago.

"Well! If we're getting visitors, we better get prepared! Especially since they're staying here for two days. It's been AGES since I had someone staying the night! Or - someone who is not Volkner. Having Gardenia staying here is a bit different than having my boyfriend here" laughed the young woman. A part of her envied how close Oreburgh was to Eterna. All it took to get from A to B there was a bike ride. Going from Sunnyshore to Snowpoint however, took ages. The fastest way was through lake Valor and route 214. Next was Veilstone city and route 215. Lastly was mount Coronet plus the nightmarish route 216. All the snow plus the fog made things even harder.

'Good thing Volkner got strong pokemon. Not to mention that S.S Spiral goes to Sunnyshore once a week' recalled the Snowpoint city gym leader. She fumbled with her keys and unlocked the entrance door. "Give me the groceries please" inquired the young woman. Abomasnow handed the bag to her trainer. "Thank you so much. Return" told the inky-haired woman. She returned her pokemon into its pokeball straight away. It was a bit sad that Abomasnow could not stay inside her house that often. Firstly, her partner was HUGE. A seven feet tall pine tree could not move freely inside a house. Secondly, her house was quite warm. Hot climates or fireplaces were an ice pokemons worst nightmare.

'Oh well. So much for choosing the ice type. I bet Roark feels the same about bathing his pokemon. Wonder how he does it' pondered the female. She turned on the TV and started to unpack her groceries. 'Good thing I bought extra green tea. Gardenia can probably drink a gallon on a cold day! Or - she was close to during her last visit' recalled Candice. She laid the vegetables on a cutting board a few moments later. 'Pretty sure the show should start now' thought the young woman.

"This is Sinnoh Now! We're currently at the Seven Stars Restaurant at Hotel Grand Lake!" announced Rhonda. On her right stood a young blonde chef. His blue eyes glanced at the hostess. "We're so thrilled to have you here as a guest chef Siebold! How have you found Sinnoh so far?" inquired the woman. "I quite like it here. Sinnoh has beautiful nature, especially the lake right outside. It's the perfect location for a hotel like this" commented Siebold. "How wonderful! Do you mind telling us about the dish you were going to make?" asked the reporter. "Yes. I am going to make a traditional Kalos fish soup. However, I will use local ingredients. First thing you need to do is to chop up the tomatoes" instructed the male. The young woman tried to mimic what he did without cutting herself. Hopefully, this would be something Gardenia would like.


	4. Chapter 4: Stay ahead

Chapter 4: Stay ahead.

A series of beeping noises cut through the silence inside the dark bedroom. A hand slammed the old alarm clock at the nightstand. The beeping stopped immediately. 'A new day and new possibilities' thought the male. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes before he went to the bathroom. 'Hm. No funny dreams tonight. That's great' noticed Roark as he walked into the bathroom. The guy brushed his hair first. After cleaning himself up, the rock pokemon user got dressed. A positive thing of working in a mine was the uniform. It made dressing much less time-consuming.

'Now for - huh?'. Something unfamiliar stood inside the fridge. It looked like a pair of round objects that were scarlet red in colour. The guy put on his newly washed glasses to see what it was. On the shelf stood an apple plus a chople berry. A post-it note was on the latter. 'Hello Roark! I hope your work day goes well. I picked these a couple days ago. The chople berry will make your pokemon more resistant to fighting types. Xoxo, Gardenia'.

His lips turned upwards in a smile. This was quite typical for his girlfriend. 'Looks like I got one of my five a day covered. I think I'll take this with me for lunch. Better send Gardenia a message later. She should be in Snowpoint today' decided the rock-pokemon user. He turned on the TV while he made himself some omelette. A reporter was interviewing Vivian about the super contest in Hearthome today. The male cut himself a few slices of toast while the woman talked about the contest.

'I think I'll make a ham sandwich for lunch. As for breakfast, I think I'll go with cucumber' decided the Oreburgh gym leader. He started to cut up the vegetable while the TV showed the inside of Hearthome contest hall. The guy laid his packed lunch into his backpacker after checking all the items were in place. Being organized was key in order to do an efficient job. In addition, it saved a lot of time. The auburn-haired male went back to his kitchen and poured some iced coffee into a cup. He sat down and watched the rest of the news. Sinnoh was by no means a boring region. There could be things going on that would affect Oreburgh or the surrounding areas. Hence why this was a part of his morning ritual. When the weather forecast appeared, the male sharpened his senses.

"Now for the weather forecast. A high pressure wave is on its way towards the northern region. Snowpoint plus the routes leading there can expect clear skies and little wind. The low pressure in Eterna will move southwards starting this afternoon. A wind is approaching Sunyshore and the league island. There might be some clouds this night. The central areas of Sinnoh can expect mild weather and some clouds" informed the weather woman. 'Awesome. One less worry for the outside guys plus our Machoke team' concluded Roark with a grin.

Once the weather forecast was done, it was time to leave. He put his cutlery plus the plate into the dishwasher. The guy turned off the lights once he put on his boots. 'Better not forget to lock' thought the rock pokemon user after he shut the entrance door. A small 'clack' was heard when he turned the key. He felt a smile form on his face when he left the apartment building.

The sun was about to rise in the east. Golden rays peeked through the few clouds dotted on the sky. 'Autumn is definitely on its way. Its colder in the morning compared to last month' noticed the male. He saw a couple of people outside in the streets. A number of them were heading to the mines for work. Then was the office workers who were off to the museum. Last but not least were the carpenters and electricians. A majority of them were walking next to their pokemon.

A couple of miners were already outside the mine. "Morning Roark!" greeted one of his coworkers. "Ma-choke!" greeted the fighting pokemon. "Good morning George! I got good news for your group. According to the weather forecast, we won't have any rain. Keep up the good work you're doing" told the Oreburgh gym leader. The other guy grinned. "Thanks for the good news Roark! Let's get going Machoke!" told George. The duo started on their work while the younger guy walked into the mine. 'I wonder what Gardenia is up to. Especially since Snowpoint was supposed to get great weather today' recalled the auburn-haired male.

* * *

"Come out everyone!" shouted the female as she called out her pokemon. Her partners emerged from their pokeballs moments later. The sun shone from the azure sky above them. _"It's COOOOLD!"_ shrieked Turtwig. "Yes, I know it is cold. Today is a special training session. We're in Snowpoint city now. Our goal for today is getting more familiar with colder temperatures. This should make us stronger for future battles" stated Gardenia.

Her pokemon looked at her with wide eyes. It was not like their trainer to be so serious. However, they could not deny the truth in her statement. Ice type pokemon such as Glalie or Sneasels posed a big issue. Roserade in particular had problems against ice types. "Today's training is an obstacle course. See that flag over there? I want you to use your attacks and moves to get there. You are NOT allowed to create troubles for one another. This is about being creative" told the girl while pointing at the flag.

Her partners looked at the magenta flag. It was planted in a small pile of snow 300 feet away. Several trees plus a frozen river stood between them. Everything was covered in eight inches of snow. This made it harder to move, especially for smaller pokemon. _"Understood"_ replied Cherubi. The other two gave their trainer a nod.

"I want you to stand over here Cherubi. Roserade, please stand in front of that rock. Turtwig will stand in front of me" told the ginger. Her pokemon got to their positions straight away. "Ready...set...GO!". Her trio darted towards the flag without hesitation. The female kept a close eye on her partners as they moved along. She needed to see how her pokemon could handle colder temperatures plus different terrain. 'I KNOW my pokemon will probably lose against an ice type. That being said, being prepared never hurts. Jeezes. Roark is really rubbing off on me' realized the grass pokemon user.

She shook her head when she heard a small yelp. The culprit was her Cherubi. It had apparently rolled sideways after its legs got caught in something. Fortunately, it got back on its feet. 'Lets see how the others are doing' decided the girl. She smiled when she saw the grass turtle pokemon. It was using its razor leaves to clear the way. 'Good thinking there Turtwig! Especially since the snow is not as solid as some plants' observed the Eterna gym leader. Her eyes moved towards Roserade. Her pokemon had just reached the icy patches of water. _"Here we GOOO!"_ shouted the grass pokemon. It send a myriad of poison stings at the ice. Chips of ice flied across the training ground moments later. 'That would hurt her opponents quite a lot. Especially if they were ground types' thought the female. Roserade walked calmly across the jagged ice moments later.

Cherubi on the other hand was using growth. 'Why is she - OH!'. Gardenia held back her laugh as her pokemon started running across the sloshier grounds. Increasing its size meant it could take larger steps. In addition, the increase in strength made it slightly faster. "Keep going everyone! You're doing fantastic!" cheered the girl. Her pokemon started to move faster towards the flag. Their trainers praise gave them the push they needed. The grass pokemon trainer felt quite proud. Despite the cold terrain, her partners were working their butts off.

_"I'm going to win this!"_ stated the grass turtle. It was running towards the flag with rather high speed. _"No chance buddy!"_ replied the rose pokemon. The duo were running towards the flag with insane speed. 'I don't think they've run so fast since they faced that Magmar! I just hope they don't start fighting when-'.

CRASH! The sound made her jump out of her reverie. Both of her pokemon laid motionless on the ground. "ROSERADE! TURTWIG!" shouted the female. She ran towards her partners as fast as she could. The sight that met her made her relieved yet annoyed. Her partners had crashed into each other. To make it worse, the flag was just ten feet away. "Jeezes. I guess that happens when your competitive instinct get the better of you. You're the winner for keeping it together Cherubi" told the ginger. _"YIPPIE!"_ shouted her pokemon. The huge smile on its face made her trainer smile too.

* * *

A familiar melody echoed through the mine shaft. "Finally! I thought this would never end" muttered the male. Today had been more tedious than usual. It all started when a group of Zubat refused to leave them alone. Thankfully, one of the workers owned a Luxray who dealt with that issue. The Zubat group did however left a reminder. Their reminder was a damaged cable. Said cable supplied the ventilation system with electricity. Roark had to call an electrician who was not available until tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the museum workers were kind enough to borrow them some grass type pokemon. Their pokemon used photosynthesis with regular intervals. 'Good thing Gardenia taught me that a while ago. It would have made things a lot harder for us if not. I better make sure that the Machoke team pay the museum a visit next week. I bet the refurbishing could use some muscle help' recalled the rock pokemon user.

He went to the top of the staircase so everyone could hear him. "I just want to say a couple things before we leave. First of all - everyone did great today! I am particularly impressed with the grass types here. This is the first time we've had so high-quality oxygen here" told the guy. He looked at the Cradily plus the two Roselias next to him. The trio looked somewhat bashful for the attention.

"Our electrician should be here tomorrow morning. The team outside are nearly done with their job. According to George, 70% of the job is done. Seems like the nice weather did the trick. Speaking of nice weather...make sure you get plenty of fresh air. That's all I have to say. Enjoy the rest of your day" finished the Oreburgh gym leader.

Many of the workers gave him plus the pokemon a round of applause. The young male certainly had big shoes to fill when he arrived two years ago. However, he rose to the challenge. A number of classes plus some observation was all that he needed. The auburn-haired guy now lead the miners with more confidence than just a year ago. Some speculated that his relationship with the Eterna gym leader contributed to this. However, their foreman remained tight-lipped about his private life. This did not surprise them. Especially since Byron was the one who employed him after all.

"Thanks for the good words boss. See you tomorrow" told one of the workers before patting his back. "You're welcome. Keep up the good work" replied Roark with a smile. Sure, he felt a bit intimidated when he first arrived. Many of the miners had physiques that were close to a Machoke. The high level of testosterone only added to that. However, the male soon found out how close they were. They kept a close eye on each other or their pokemon during work hours. Birthdays were scribbled on a calendar in the small barrack outside the mine.

Roark went straight to the pokemon center. He was in charge of healing the grass pokemon they borrowed. In addition, his own pokemon were tired as well. The warmth inside the building contrasted with the fresh breeze outside. In addition, the lobby smelled faintly of lemon soap. The people working here took their jobs seriously. After all, Oreburgh hosted two facilities where pokemon worked. "Good evening Roark! How can I help you?" greeted the nurse Joy. "I am here to heal some grass pokemon we borrowed. My own pokemon could use a rest as well" replied the guy.

The nurse laid two trays on the table. The pokemon balls with the grass types went into the first. His own pokemon balls were put in the second. "Your pokemon should be ready to pick up tomorrow. I will send a message to the museum as well" informed the woman. "Thank you for your help. It's much appreciated" told the rock pokemon user. "You're welcome. Have a nice day" replied the pinkette. He left moments before a Chansey picked up the two trays. It was finally time to go home. 'I am STARVING! Good thing I had some leftover beef stew from yesterday' recalled the male. He walked home with a big smile on his face.

* * *

"It's SO NICE to see you Candice! It's been ages since our last girl night" groaned Gardenia. Day one in Snowpoint was nearly over. It had passed by way too fast for their liking. "Hey Candice, where is that facial mask we bought? My pores look like the mount Chimney volcano" muttered the girl."One second. I think I have it here" replied her friend. She begun to search trough her small cupboard. "Found it!" exclaimed Candice. A huge grin was on her face. "All right. First thing you need to do is to cleanse your face. Wash your hands before application" read the girl. "Here we go. Pray that this does not turn my face scarlet red" muttered the grass pokemon user. She washed her face while her friend found some ice tea for them.

"How has the gym been going ?" inquired the oldest of the two. "Quite well I suppose. Two challengers visited the gym this week. One win and one loss" replied the younger girl. She did not get that many challengers compared to her friend. Living in the northernmost city had its disadvantages. Fortunately, her challengers were often quite strong. "Glad to hear the gym is still going strong. When do I have to wash this off?" asked the gingerhead. "You need to let it work its magic for 30 minutes. However, the mask claims to clear up your skin" informed the raven-haired girl.

"Thank you for helping me out Candice. I wish we could meet each other more often. Too bad we live so far apart. There are not very many female gym leaders at our age" muttered the girl. "I know what you mean" sighed the other girl. She was barely able to hold back a giggle when she looked at the other female. The coal mask gave her the same complexion as a Geodude. "Where are those magazines you got from Johto Candice?" inquired the ginger. "I believe they are in that pink magazine holder" replied Candice.

They started to read the magazines. 'I wish I could stay here a bit longer. My grass pokemon got a really good training session in all the snow. They loved playing with Abomasnow as well' recalled the female. Unlike Hoenn for instance, Sinnoh had four distinctive seasons. This resulted in a huge variety of pokemon that could be caught or evolved.

Her orange eyes glanced down at the watch. 'Whoa! Time surely flies by. Better get this goo off my face' realized Gardenia. "Can I borrow you bathroom Candice?" asked the girl. "Sure" replied her friend. 'I wonder how my skin will turn out' thought the ginger. She wet the wash cloth and started to rinse her face. 'Jeezes! This worked like a charm!' observed the female. Her pores had shrunk quite dramatically. In addition, her complexion looked brighter. She brushed her teeth and was about to put on her pyjamas.

"Can I come in please?" inquired her friend. "Sure thing Candice. I think we can conclude that the mask worked brilliantly" stated the grass type user. The other female barged into the room. Her dark eyes gnistered of curiosity. "Whoa! Your skin is nearly poreless!" exclaimed the ice type trainer. "Definitely. Can't wait to meet Roark tomorrow looking like this" replied the girl. "He's gonna love it. I'm going to bed now. I got a lot of things to do tomorrow" told the female. "Same. Have a good night Candice" said the Eterna gym leader. She went straight to bed with a smile on her face.


	5. Chapter 5: Think it out

All right, some of the chapters will have higher rating from now.

**WARNING! This chapter is rated M. You can skip it if you are not old enough (18 or younger). Contains somewhat explicit language and descriptions.**

* * *

Chapter five: Think it out.

The young man was back in his apartment. 'A girl is going to stay with me for about four days. Which has NEVER happened before. Jeezes. This is worse than the training I had with Bruno last June! At least I knew what I was in for. This is completely unfamiliar territory to me!' realized the auburn-haired male. He pulled a hand through his hair. 'Think Roark. When was the last time you slept over in someone's house? Perhaps I can use that as a base for having Gardenia over' decided the male. His memory started to replay through the last couple months. Suddenly, the memory of a certain birthday resurfaced. Candice's birthday to be more precise.

Volkner, Gardenia, Candice plus himself had a party in Sunnyshore. Volkner wanted to host the party since Candice turned 20 last year. 'But WHY am I afraid to be alone with her? I mean - we have been a couple for nearly six months. We talk to each other daily for starters. Plus that we visit each other when we can. Gardenia has even met my family! So why am I so nervous?' thought Roark.

He was about to hang up his clothes when something fell down from a shelf. It looked like a booklet or magazine. 'Huh? What's - oh'. His cheeks turned scarlet red. It was an adult magazine his cousin gave him for his 20th birthday. 'Forgot I had this. Better get rid of it prior to the visit' decided the Oreburgh gym leader. Good thing he was home alone. 'I don't think I have looked in that magazine since I started dating Gardenia. Wait a second...'. The guy suddenly realized why the sleepover made him nervous.

There was no denial that his girlfriend possessed a rather a curvy figure. Said figure often appeared in certain types of dreams. However, those dreams could become reality if they shared the same bed. Just the thought alone made the pokemon trainer feel hot under the collar. There was one important thing to consider though. What if she was not ready for it yet? Or even worse...maybe she only did this to satisfy him?

'OK. Take a deep breath Roark. You are a young man in a proper relationship. Said relationship is with a young woman. She is not afraid to speak her mind. We trust each other as well. Calm down. This is not like a mine shaft that can collapse any moment. We're both responsible adult gym leaders who have been dating for months. I think I'll just listen to her. Seems to work for my parents. They are still married after all' recalled the rock pokemon user. He took a deep breath as he shifted his attention to housework. 'I'll let Gardenia have my room. Especially since she is traveling all the way from Snowpoint. Even her absurd energy levels won't be 100% when she gets here. Time to do a deep cleanse' decided the male with a grin.

* * *

'Hnnn? Is it time already' thought the female. She blinked her eyes to check her watch. The digits did not lie. It was 9:10 AM. A huge yawn escaped her lips as she got out of bed. 'Good thing the weather forecast was nice today. So much for not having a psychic or flying type that makes travel easier. Perhaps I should catch one of those' pondered Gardenia. She put on a knitted green sweater plus a pair of brown trousers. The former had been a gift from her boyfriend. The girl smiled as she entered the kitchen.

A plate with some tin foil on the top laid on the counter. Right next to it stood a small paper bag. 'Morning Gardenia! I had to leave a little early today. Your breakfast is on the table. There is pokemon food in the paper bag. Have a nice trip back to Eterna! Xoxo Candice'. 'One thing is for sure. Candice is a great host' thought the ginger. She removed the tin foil. On the plate laid an omelet, a piece of toast plus grilled vegetables.

The female boiled some green tea while she microwaved her breakfast. It was ironic that someone like her enjoyed that particular tea type. She sat down to eat once the tea was ready. "Right everyone! Come out and eat!" stated the grass type user. Her pokemon were now out of their pokeballs. "Here is some pokemon food Candice gave us. There are five pieces per pokemon" told the girl in a no-nonsense voice. Her partners nodded obediently before they started eating.

It did not take long for Gardenia to pack her bag. Once everything was checked, she went back to the kitchen. Her partners were already putting the tableware back into the dishwasher. "Aaaw! How kind of you! I'm so happy to see you're behaving so well!" praised the female. _"Off course we are. This is not our home after all. I don't want to make Abomasnow angry either"_ replied Roserade. "Great job! I will return you to your pokeballs now. You need to be well rested in case we face some trouble" told the ginger. Her partners nodded before they returned to the pokeballs.

"Shoot! Where did Candice say the spare key was?" muttered the girl in panic. She looked under the door mat, but there was nothing there. Her next spot to check was outside the house. It was not in the mail box either. Her nerves were getting more tense by the second. Sure, Snowpoint city was the second least city on the crime rate list. Only Pastoria city with their wrestle-maniac gym leader had less criminality. This did not mean that unlocked houses were safe though. 'Man, I am going to be late! Just where is it?' mentally screamed the grass type user. She slammed the house wall in pure desperation.

"Auch!" hissed the female when something hit her head. She looked down at the ground. Her tangerine eyes widened in surprise. It was the spare key! 'But how? Where did she hide it?' pondered Gardenia. Both eyes glanced upwards to see what was above her. Six feet above her shoes hung a lamp with an elaborate design. 'OFF COURSE! Candice hid the key behind the lamp! It looks almost exactly like the decorations!' realized the girl. She locked the door immediately and hung the key behind the lamp. It did not take long for the Eterna gym leader reached route 217.

* * *

A sudden ringing sound caught the male off guard. He was on his way home after a somewhat long day at work. "Hello?" greeted Roark after he picked up the phone. "Hello Roark! How has your day been?" inquired his girlfriend. Her voice erased some of his fatigue immediately. "Oh, hello Gardenia! It's been a bit longer than usual. We had to replace some of the beams. Where are you at the moment?" asked the guy. "I am home right now. I should be in Oreburgh city in an hour or so. Just need to unpack some stuff" informed the girl. "Sure. Can't wait to see you again Gardenia. It's been ages" replied the auburn-haired male. "I know. See you later! Bye!" told the ginger. "Bye" answered the male.

He felt nervous, yet excited at the same time. 'All right. Calm down Roark. I cleaned my apartment yesterday. The food she likes is in the fridge. All I need to do is to make her feel comfortable. That is all' thought the rock pokemon user. He took a deep breath as he walked into the apartment complex. Staying calm was easier said than done. After all, this was the first time his girlfriend was staying over.

'I better take a shower. My clothes smell can compete with Gloom' realized the guy. He went straight to the bathroom to clean himself up. Roark threw his smelly clothes into the washing machine. Next, he turned on the shower. The warm water that ran down his frame felt just wonderful. 'Time to get myself all cleaned up. I may love mines, but I'm not a caveman' mused the male. He grabbed the bottle with soap and cleaned himself up. A refreshing scent of mint mingled with sandalwood did the trick. Next up was his hair. The Oreburgh gym leader massaged the herb-smelling liquid into his hair. The soap and shampoo bottle brought a smile to his face. They were both a present from his girlfriend.

Neither soap nor shampoo was at the top of the grocery list. Having a girlfriend who bought something like that was much appreciated. Especially since it was 100% natural ingredients. 'I better get out now. Gardenia should be here soon' realized the guy. He turned off the shower before he dried himself. Next on the list were dry clothes. Burgundy eyes looked inside the closet. His choice fell on a pair of navy blue jeans plus a golden yellow henley shirt. The auburn-haired guy had just put on his shirt when someone knocked the door.

He took a deep breath as he approached the doorframe. A small 'click' was heard when the guy opened the door. He smiled when he saw the female stand a few feet away. "Hello there" greeted Roark. He gave her a small kiss on the cheek before he lifted her bag. It was not very heavy. Then again, he was a guy who worked full-time in a mine. "Glad to see you too Roark! I feel elated. Visiting my boyfriend tends to do that to me" replied Gardenia. He noticed she was wearing the forest green sweater he bought her. It made him smile a little.

"So...where am I going to sleep? I would like to unpack my bag and take a shower if that is all right" inquired the girl. He tried to ignore the increase of heat on his cheeks. "Uhm…you can sleep in my bed. I will sleep on a mattress in the guest room. Tomorrow is my day off after all" suggested the rock pokemon user. "That's not necessary. I can sleep on the mattress. I am the guest here after all" offered his girlfriend. "I insist. Especially since you have been traveling all the way from Snowpoint" stated the male. "All right then. I appreciate your consideration Roark. Please let me know if you want to swap" replied the female. She gave him a wink before she walked into the guestroom.

He let out a long exhale of air. 'Calm down. I put on new bedsheets this morning. Plus that I cleaned my room yesterday. She will be fine. I even threw away that -'. His eyes suddenly widened in fear. 'I COMPLETELY FORGOT! HOLY PALKIA! Wait a second. She was going to take a shower. I can just throw the magazine while she is in the shower!' realized the auburn-haired guy. Moments later, he heard the bathroom door lock. This was it.

A small creak was heard when he opened the door. The only things in there was her luggage. He smiled and walked over to the desk. It stood on the right side of the room. _"What are you doing in here?"_ inquired a voice. A chill ran down his spine. Roark knew one of her pokemon caught him. Her Roserade to be more precise. "I-I just need to throw something away" told the male while looking at the rose pokemon. It raised its eyebrows a little. "See? I'm not snooping around" assured the guy. He picked up the magazine and walked backwards. _"You better not"_ warned the pokemon. Its scarlet eyes followed the humans every move.

'Phew. Disaster averted. Better get rid of this before my girlfriend finds it' decided the rock pokemon user. He walked over to the bathroom and knocked on the door. "Gardenia? I'm going out with some garbage. What do you want for dinner?" inquired the guy. "Anything that is not sashimi. Ate that yesterday" replied his girlfriend. "All right! I'll be back in a few minutes" told the auburn-haired guy. He left the room with the magazine in his hand.

* * *

'Time to get out I suppose' decided the female. She walked out of the shower and dried herself. Her skin was drier than earlier thanks to the cold climate in Snowpoint. 'Good thing I took this body lotion with me. It takes some time to sink into the skin however. I'll take my upper body first' decided the ginger. She squeezed some lotion out of the tube and spread it across her chest.

Suddenly, a noise could be heard from the shower cabinet. The girl felt a shiver down her spine. That noise sounded rather familiar. She wrapped a towel around her torso before she grabbed the toilet brush. "Hey! Come out wherever you are!" called the grass pokemon user. Some purple sludge started to emerge from under the cabinet. The smell made the female realize what it was. IT WAS A GRIMER ON ITS WAY UP FROM THE SEWER!

Nearly on cue, she heard the door open. "ROARK! GET YOUR RAMPARDOS OUT! THERE IS A GRIMER IN THE SHOWER PIPE!" screamed Gardenia. Her pokemon were not able to do much against a poison type anyways. Her boyfriends rock types however, were much better of against Grimer. "Unlock the door Gardenia! I need to get in!" shouted the male. She opened the door while watching the growing purple puddle. It was getting bigger by the second. The door was nearly torn open seconds later.

Behind it stood her boyfriend plus his rock pokemon partner. "Rampardos, go! Use head smash!" ordered Roark in a firm voice. His pokemon rushed towards the Grimer that stood on the floor. "RAM-PARDOS!" shouted the pokemon. It butted its head straight into the poison pokemon on the floor. The Grimer was sent into the corner with a dazed look. Once it recovered, it scuttered down the drain again. "Thank you Rampardos! I felt so stupid. Especially since my pokemon are weak against poison" told Gardenia. She petted the rock pokemon on its back. _"You're welcome"_ told the pokemon with a satisfied smile. Like humans, he appreciated praise.

"Good job partner. Return to your pokeball now" told the guy. After he returned Rampardos, he looked at his girlfriend. "How are you feeling Gardenia?" inquired the guy. "I'm a little shaken and surprised. How often does those kind of visits happen?" asked the female. "This is the second time in three years. Last time it happened, I poured diluted bleach into the pipe. Works like a charm" replied the Oreburgh gym leader. His statement made her smile. Sure, her boyfriend was not the most risk-taking guy around. His cautious nature did however made her feel safer. Plus that she did not have to worry about him getting into trouble.

She was about to step forward when she slipped on some slime. "UWAAAH!" exclaimed the ginger. The auburn-haired guy stepped forwards, but was barely able to catch her. Her face was squashed against his shoulder while his arms were wrapped around her back. The male could felt the soft skin against his fingers and a nice smell tickled his nose. "This might sound weird but your skin is really soft" muttered the guy while pulled her a little closer. The girl let him do it. Her towel covered up half of her body after all.

"Err...I need to get dressed Roark. Do you mind leaving for a few minutes?" inquired the Eterna gym leader. He gave her a nod before he walked out of the bathroom. 'Stay calm. You need to make dinner!' recalled Roark. He went straight to the kitchen to see what he could make for the two of them. 'Sashimi is off the menu. That's perfectly fine since I don't have any fish. Anything fancy is not happening either. I'm not a pro chef like that trainer in Kalos is. I better stick to something we both like. Especially since she is the guest' thought the male.

Burgundy eyes caught the sight of some meat. 'I almost forgot about the beef I won at the lottery! Pretty sure I can use the vegetables to make some sukiyaki. I know Gardenia likes that. Looks like the dinner problem is solved!' concluded the Oreburgh gym leader. He smiled as he took the ingredients out of the fridge.

* * *

While the guy was chopping up the vegetables, his girlfriend was on her way to the room. It was time for her to unpack a little bit. She unzipped the small duffel bag once the door was closed. 'Toiletries, check. Perfume, check. Extra set of clothes, check. Pyjamas, check. Safety stuff...'. Her eyes looked at the door for a few moments. The auburn-haired male was still at the kitchen. She clutched the small package with her hands.

'Calm down. He won't go that far unless you let him. It's ROARK we're talking about! He's so careful that he's probably got a huge pack stashed somewhere in this apartment!' thought Gardenia. Just the thought made her giggle a little bit. It would not surprise her if said pack was hidden in the bedroom. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why she would sleep there. 'Trust Roark to be at least two steps ahead. I should not worry. I'm in safe, rock-solid hands' concluded the female. A mischievous smile was still playing on her lips. The image of her being surrounded by his rock pokemon team made her feel safe indeed.

A savory scent made her nose tingle. 'Hmmmm. I wonder what he's making. Smells a bit like meat or grilled food. Maybe it's a stew' guessed the ginger. She called Roserade back to its pokeball before leaving the room. The back of her boyfriend was facing her at the moment. He was putting vegetables into a pan that stood on his right. A smile formed at her face. "Uhm...excuse me Roark. Would you like me to get out the tableware?" inquired the girl. He spun around to face her. "Yes please. There is green iced tea in the fridge" informed Roark with a smile. "You know me too well. I'll get the table ready" told the grass pokemon user.

It did not take her long to find two bowls plus two pairs of chopsticks. She was about to get out the iced tea when the guy turned off the stove. "Here we go! Sukiyaki with beef and vegetables. I hope it's tasting all right. Had to use a non-stick pan for the beef" admitted the guy. "I think it smells lovely! Can't wait to eat some proper food" replied the female. She suddenly realized how little she had eaten that day. 'Let's see. I ate an omelet, a piece of toast plus some vegetables for breakfast. My lunch was cucumber sandwich plus some vegetables. No wonder I am starving! I have barely eaten more than my pokemon today' concluded the ginger.

"Toast for a happy relationship" told the Oreburgh gym leader. His words made her snap back to reality. "Yes. Cheers" replied his girlfriend. They clinked glasses before the male turned on the radio. Jubilife was interviewing a guy named Brycen. He worked as a gym leader in Icirrus city. He used to be a movie star in his younger days, but decided to switch. An accident was apparently the reason for this. The duo listened intently to the interview. Becoming a gym leader at an adult age was not unusual. Shifting your career from actor to pokemon trainer however, was immensely difficult.

"So...when do you have your next break Roark?" inquired the girl. She knew he worked on a five week cycle. Meaning that he worked four or five days a week at the mine for five weeks. Next five weeks were off. In addition were the gym battles twice a week. Her boyfriend bit his lower lip. "My next break should be in two weeks time. Is there something you want to do?" asked Roark. "Well...I thought we could travel somewhere. Perhaps we could visit Volkner in Sunyshore" suggested his girlfriend. "I don't think that's a bad idea. Sunyshore is really nice at this time of the year" agreed the guy. They finished their dinner in silence.

"The sukiyaki was lovely. I'll clear the table since you cooked the food. I insist" stated the grass pokemon user. "You are very welcome. The dishwasher is over there. I put the leftovers in a box inside the fridge. Thank you for giving me a hand. It's much appreciated" told the auburn-haired guy. He left his girlfriend once he knew his tableware was safe. As much as the guy loved his girlfriend, her clumsiness made him worried sometimes. 'Perhaps that is a reason she fell in love with me. I am the safety manager at the Oreburgh mines after all. Plus that my pokemon got great defense. Unless her grass types or Wake is involved' mused the rock pokemon user. He turned on the TV to see what they were showing.

* * *

'Jeez. I feel tired. What time is it?' wondered the female. Her eyes glanced at the watch that hung on the wall. It was 10:16 PM. 'No wonder I'm yawning. Especially since I have travelled so long in such short time. Maybe I should ask Dialga for help next time' mused the ginger. "Roark, do you mind if I use the bathroom first? I feel quite tired" told the girl. They had been watching a travel documentary about Hoenn after dinner. Both of them found it quite interesting. Especially since it was much further south than Sinnoh was.

"I am fine. Please go ahead" replied her boyfriend. She smiled before she went to the guest room. It did not take long to find the toiletry bag. Its bright gold colour made it hard to miss. Gardenia peeked into the bathroom to see if Grimer was still there. There was no sludge on the floor. Nor was there any revolting smell. The only thing she smelled was...chlorine. 'Always being cautious huh? Good that extends to unwanted visitors' observed the female. She locked the door once she was inside. First thing to do was to brush her hair. Once that was done, it was time for dental hygiene.

Her eyes glanced at the items lined up at the sink. Inside the lemon yellow plastic cup was an electric toothbrush plus a tube of toothpaste. A black floss rack stood in the back. Orange eyes glanced inside the shower cabinet once more. She smiled at the sight of the shampoo and soap duo. 'No wonder he smelled nice back when he-'. The grass pokemon user felt her cheeks turn red at the memory earlier that day. Being held close like that by her boyfriend was rather intimate. 'Perhaps I should give him a good night hug. We're a couple after all. I bet his father did that all the time when Roark was a kid!' mused the girl. The image of Byron smothering his son made it harder to hold in the mouthwash.

She put on her pyjamas a minute later. The Eterna gym leader exited the bathroom wearing her green pyjamas. Her eyes spotted the Oreburgh gym leader straight away. He was checking something on the calendar. The female poked him on the shoulder. He turned around with a smile on his face. "I'm going to bed. Have a good night" told Gardenia. She stretched up and gave him a hug. His frame tensed for a moment. Thankfully, she felt his muscles relax a few moments later. "I'll see you tomorrow. Sleep well" muttered the guy. 'Aaaah. This feels nice' thought the girl. He was not squashing her like Wake or Candice was. However, she could definitely feel his arms holding her close. He let her go after what felt like a short while. "Night" told Gardenia before she went into the guestroom. She laid down on her boyfriends bed and closed her eyes. It did not take long for her to fall asleep.

* * *

**Gardenias dream.**

The girl sat on a bed. She was almost naked. The only thing she weared was a pair of black panties. 'Where am I?' thought the grass pokemon user and looked around. The bed she sat on was queen sized. It had light green bedsheets. 'This room doesn't look familiar' observed the female. A soft glow illuminated a pale cherry blossom pink room. She closed her eyes and felt a sort of familiar scent fill her nose. It was a mix of a slightly musky smell with a hint of wood. Suddenly, there was a soft pressure on her lips.

The Eterna gym leader opened her eyes. A male with reddish hair sat in front of her. The pale light made it hard for her to see his face. He was shirtless, but his underbody was covered by one of the sheets. For some reason, she bent forward to return the kiss. The girl placed her hands on his chest. His heartbeat was quite strong. 'One thing is for sure. He's got a nice physique' noticed the ginger. A pair of large hands with rough skin were touching her waist. They begun to wander upwards, but she did not mind. His hands stopped a little below her bust. It was like they waited for her approval. Gardenia broke the kiss. Her air supply was getting low anyways. "Go ahead" told the female after taking a deep breath. She heard a chuckle before his hands covered both of her mounds. A small gasp escaped her lips.

It felt like a Pikachu was sending an electric shock down to her nether region. This sensation was not very painful however. Her lids started to close a little. 'This feels wonderful. I hope he does not stop anytime soon' prayed the grass pokemon user. She felt the same lips kiss her collarbone and décolletage. Her nipples were getting quite hard. "Could you..squeeze these a little bit?" inquired the girl.

* * *

Roark sat on the living room with his laptop. 'Just a few more paragraphs before I can-'. His ear caught some moaning sounds from his bedroom. The male raised an eyebrow in wonder. Did his girlfriend had a nightmare or something? Or was Roserade testing out its stun spore again? He knew his girlfriend sometimes let her pokemon use her as a target for attacks. He would personally never let his pokemon do that. Then again, they were strong enough to barge through walls.

'Better make sure she is all right anyways. She IS my guest after all' thought the Oreburgh gym leader. He saved his document and walked over to the door. The guy opened the door in a slow motion. He could not see her Roserade or any other pokemon. So far, so good. Next to check was his girlfriend. She laid in his bed and let out small moans sometimes. 'Weird that she is blushing. Or perhaps she is very warm' observed the auburn-haired guy. He went over to her and shook her a little. Her eyes opened slowly. "Mhhh…what is it?" muttered the ginger. "You were moaning. Did you have a nightmare?" inquired her boyfriend.

The girls face went pink. Her dream was quite far from a nightmare. However, she was not sure if she wanted to share the details yet. "I-I'm just a little hot I suppose" replied the female. "All right then. You can turn on the air condition with the white remote on my desk. Have a good night. I'm going to bed now" told the rock pokemon user. He kissed her forehead before he went back to work. It did not take him long to complete his work. Doing reports like these was a weekly task for a mine foreman. 'I better go to bed now. Good thing I have tomorrow off. Can't wait to spend some quality time with Gardenia and my pokemon' thought the guy.

He went straight to the bathroom to brush his teeth. 'Too bad Gardenia is going back to the gym. Perhaps I can see her doing her off day. Eterna is only a bike ride away' recalled Roark. Oreburgh was his current home, but Eterna came a close second. The city's rich history combined with old monuments matched his interests perfectly. He did not mind to bike to Eterna either. The route's great view was a welcome break from the hills and mountains. The male spat out the toothpaste mixture after a minute. He put on his T-shirt while his Rampardos was watching.

"Night Rampardos. I'm going to bed. Do you want to go back to your pokeball?" inquired the male. His partner shook his head. "All right then. Sleep well" told his trainer. He went to the guest room and closed the door. The rock pokemon walked to the living room. To his surprise, Roserade was sitting on the sofa. "What are you doing here?" inquired Rampardos. _"I think we need to do something with our trainers. Have you seen them do things that humans do when they are mates?"_ asked the grass pokemon. _"Not really. I know my trainer likes yours however. I can hear his heart beat faster whenever he looks at her"_ muttered Rampardos while he rolled his eyes. _"He should do something fast. Or maybe we should"_ suggested Roserade with a somewhat sly smile. _"What do you mean?" _replied the rock pokemon. "_I have a plan. Listen up…"_ whispered Roserade while they begun to make a plan.


	6. Chapter 6: Do it!

Chapter six: Do it!

**Warning! This chapter is rated M and contains lemon. You should definitely skip it if you are not old enough!**

* * *

Rays of sunlight made the female blink her eyes. She glanced at the watch. 'Hn? It's only 07:10 AM?' thought the female. She let out a yawn and stretched herself. Gardenia rubbed the sleep out of her eyes right away. "Morning Roserade. I take it you were outside to get some sun, right?" inquired the girl. It was not unusual for her pokemon to do some morning sunbathing. She did not mind as long they used her balcony. _"I did"_ replied Roserade. She gave her trainer a nod for good measure. The sun was a bit stronger in Oreburgh compared to Eterna. Maybe it was because they were further south. Or higher up from the ground. 'I better get dressed' decided the grass pokemon user. She walked over to her neat pile of clothes and stripped off her pyjamas.

Roserade looked at her trainer. There was a curious gleam in her scarlet red eyes. She often noticed how the human looked at her hips in a distasteful manner. _'Hm…I wonder why she is so critical when it comes to her body. I have seen humans at the beach resort looking worse than her'_ recalled the pokemon. The grass pokemon decided it was time for action. She slipped out of the room. Her partner in crime stood next to the sofa.

"_Pst, Rampardos! Where is your trainer?" _asked Roserade. _"In the bathroom"_ replied the rock pokemon. Neither of them could hear the shower running. So far, so good. _"Do you want me to get him Roserade?"_ inquired the pokemon. _"Yes. It's action time. My trainer is putting on her clothes"_ informed the grass pokemon. _"Right. I'll get going" _muttered Rampardos. The pokemon went straight to the bathroom and knocked the door. "Huh? What is it Rampardos?" asked the male. The pokemon started to pull his left hand.

"All right, all right I'm coming" muttered the rock pokemon trainer. It was not common for Rampardos to act like this. The pokemon lead him straight to the bedroom. His partner in crime had opened the door. _"Here we go…I'm sorry Roark!" _muttered the rock pokemon. He grabbed his trainer and slung him towards his bed. Said bed was where his girlfriend sat at the very moment. "OUFF!" exclaimed the male when he landed on the bed

"Uhm…Roark…" muttered the female in a low voice. Her face was now pink while her eyes were as wide as saucers. The auburn-haired man then noticed the position they were in. He laid at the top of her for starters. In addition, their faces were only five inches apart. To cap it all, his pyjamas shirt was unbuttoned. "Here…let me" muttered the ginger. She raised her shaky hands towards his glasses. Her slender fingers adjusted the glasses while her heart pounded quite hard.

"Uhm, thank you…" whispered her boyfriend. For some reason, his voice was a bit raspy. The girl leaned a bit closer. The auburn-haired guy could not move a muscle. It felt like he was paralyzed by stun spores. Suddenly, her lips were meeting his in a deep kiss. 'Whoa. This feels different than the previous kisses we've shared' noticed the guy. The Oreburgh gym leader tried to return the kiss and placed his hands on her hips.

His girlfriend took the hint. The guy felt two hands on his chest a few seconds later. Her small gesture sent shivers down his spine. It felt like his shyness had been blown away. 'Maybe I should take it a tad bit further' decided Roark. He moved his hands under her T-shirt. The female felt the hands creep up her torso, which she appreciated. She bit his lips softly in an attempt to deepen the kiss. His body tensed a little while his mouth opened. His hands crept up a tad bit further. They were now between her navel and her chest. 'Hmm. She has very soft skin' thought the male. Suddenly, Gardenia had flipped him over so he laid under her.

"Uhm…what are you doing?" inquired the rock pokemon user. His face sported a confused expression. "Mind if I take the lead?" muttered his girlfriend. He shook his head. Her hands moved up his neck. They stopped at the top of his head, and started to massage his scalp. The new sensation sent his body in a stupor. Suddenly, he noticed that she nearly laid on the top of him. To make it worse, her chest was only an inch or so from touching his. 'Oh shoot!' realized the guy when he felt a tingling sensation further down.

The ginger had buttoned up his pyjamas shirt. A satisfied smile formed at her face. His upper body did not look bad at all. Her boyfriend had lean muscles that matched his strong shoulders. Suddenly, she felt a small bump against her thigh. The girl looked down to see what it was. It looked like her boyfriend enjoyed this quite a lot too. "I'm so sorry! I just...I kinda...I'm sorry" babbled the auburn-haired guy. His face was nearly as red as a Charmeleon. His reaction made her a little relieved. 'Looks like he's just as cautious as I thought. I better be careful. I know he's less kinky than me' observed the grass pokemon user. She bent down a little bit. "Roark, are you all right if I...give you a massage further down?" asked the female.

His body tensed slightly, but he managed to nod. "All right. Just tell me if I'm doing something wrong. Last thing I want to do is to hurt you" replied the Eterna gym leader. She moved her right hand under his trousers and found the 'sore spot'. 'Careful now. These things are fragile' recalled the girl as she started to rub his testicles. Her boyfriend gasped. "Uhm…am I pinching you or something?" inquired Gardenia.

"No...but I think I'm about to lose it..." whispered the guy. He was getting lightheaded since more blood was heading south. Roark managed to lift his left hand before she pushed her hand away. "Uhm...did I do something wrong?" inquired his girlfriend. He sat up. The male could feel a familiar rush go through his body. It was not adrenaline or fear. This was a lust filled testosterone rush. "No, it's fine. I just want to return the favour" muttered the male. The girl felt her heart skip a bit when she saw his eyes. His pupils were dilated while his eyes had a peculiar gleam to them.

Before she could say anything, her boyfriend was kissing her. Her eyes widened before they close again. She could feel his hands massaging her ribcage. The rock pokemon user broke free after a few moments. "Uhm...do you mind if I...go a little further up?" inquired the guy. She felt a thumb brush against the bottom of her left breast. A shiver crept up her spine. Nobody had ever touched her breasts before. Except herself that was.

'Get a grip Gardenia! It's only Roark! He will not rape you or anything' thought the ginger. "Yeah…but be gentle" whispered the female. Her boyfriend smiled before he lifted her up in a sitting position. It did not take long until his hands covered her breasts completely. The Eterna gym leader gasped at the new sensation. He took it as a good sign and began to massage her.

The auburn-haired guy tried to be as gentle as possible. Handling these was quite different from handling granite. 'I never thought her breasts felt like this. I guess you learn something new every day' mused the guy. He broke the kiss when he realized something. Her shirt was getting in the way. "Uhm…can I remove your shirt?" inquired the Oreburgh gym leader. "Nah. I'll do it" replied the girl. She pulled the garment over her head in two seconds. Her boyfriend looked at her breasts. They were not huge, but quite shapely. The male kissed her neckline while his hands continued the massage.

Suddenly, Gardenia felt a weak throbbing between her legs. She tried to resist it at first. However, the feeling increased by the second. The female broke the kiss. "Roark, could you please lay me back down?" asked the the ginger. Her boyfriend nodded and laid her down. "Can you please touch me…here?" inquired the girl. She took his hand and led it below her bellybutton. His face turned bright scarlet in seconds. However, his curiosity got the better of him. She was the one who asked him as well.

"Just a second…" muttered his girlfriend while she removed her pyjamas pants. 'Wait a minute. I don't think Roark has seen me with so little clothes on' realized the grass pokemon user. A faint blush creep across her cheeks when she saw how Roark looked her. He could easily notice how toned her legs were. It was probably a result of all the gardening at her gym. Her shapely hips combined with her slender waist made his heart beat faster. 'Keep it together! Your hormones are getting the better of you!' realized the guy. He moved his eyes up to her adorable face.

"Sorry for staring at you. It's just that...you're looking stunning without your clothes" muttered the rock pokemon user. The female felt her heart melt. "Thank…aaaah!". Her boyfriend had touched the area between her legs. The throbbing sensation became stronger. "Please don't stop" whispered the Eternia girl. "Do you like this?" asked the male. His voice was a bit uncertain. "I do. There is however something I like more" confessed the female. "Really? What is it?" inquired the rock pokemon user. Gardenia grabbed his right hand before she pulled down her black panties a little with the other one.

She lead him towards her entrance. The girl spread her legs a little for good measure. She guided his hands towards her vagina. "Please be gentle" told the ginger. "Yeah. I'll be careful" muttered the male. A few moments later, he slid his index finger into her. His girlfriend gasped. This felt even better then when she was doing it herself. 'She is a bit tight. I better move slowly' decided the auburn-haired guy. He pulled his finger a little back before he pushed it into her again. The girl moaned a bit louder. It almost felt like her body was on fire. Her hands squeezed harder around his shoulders.

"There we go" muttered the guy. Suddenly, he brushed a very sensitive spot with his thumb. This small motion sent the grass pokemon user over the edge. It almost felt as if something exploded inside her. She let out a small scream before her body felt limp. For a few seconds, the female felt like she was floating on a cloud. She inhaled and exhaled while her partner watched her with a little worry.

"Uhm...are you OK?" asked the Oreburgh gym leader. A hand stroke her face, which she appreciated. "Mhm. I think I reached my limit. I think I'm ready. Did you brought...". "Damnit! Just give me a second" exclaimed the male while he slapped his forehead in frustration. He hopped off the bed and opened the cupboard. 'Looks like I was right. He DOES have a huge pack of that stuff here!' concluded the Eterna gym leader. It did not take long until her boyfriend was back. "All right. I've put on the protection and smeared some lube on it. I'll take it slow" promised Roark. "I'm ready" told the girl.

"Great. Just give me a few moments. Let me know if I'm moving too fast or anything" told her boyfriend. He got back in bed and straddled her. Her eyes suddenly widened at the new sensation. "I-I feel a bit tense" muttered Gardenia. "Maybe it helps if you take a deep breath" suggested the male. His girlfriend nodded before she took a deep breath. She tried to relax while her partner slid a little further in. It started to get a little uncomfortable. "Do you want me to stop?" asked the rock pokemon user. "No. But maybe you should kiss me or something. That might make some of the pain go away" told the female.

A pair of lips met hers in a somewhat nervous kiss. The pain became stronger for a moment. The young man felt something trickle down his member. A part of him felt a bit ashamed for what he had done to her. He broke the kiss when he could not get any further. "Are you all right..?" muttered the Oreburgh gym leader while he stroke her cheek. "I think so. I just need a little time to adjust" replied the the ginger. Her boyfriend bent down on his elbows and hugged her. She smiled while she returned the hug. It was the first time they had been so physically intimate.

After a little while, the pain had ebbed away. "You can move on now. It does not hurt anymore" informed the young woman. He pulled a little back before he entered her again. She let out a small squeal when she felt a small jolt of pleasure instead. "Can I move a little faster?" muttered the young man. She just nodded, and felt his thrusts become faster. "Gardenia...I think..." muttered Roark. "I know" replied his girlfriend. He begun to move faster before something inside him explode. "Aaaah...!" whined Roark while he tried to support himself. He gasped a little while he tried to not fall on top of her. It felt like he had been attacked with a mega drain. The male eventually fell down on her left side after pulling out. They laid down on the bed, facing one another.

"Sorry if I hurt you" said the rock pokemon user. "Don't worry. It was worth it" replied the female and snuggled up close. "Good to know" yawned the young man and hugged her. The grass pokemon user tensed a little. Her boyfriend was hugging her in a different way than he usually did. "Let's sleep a little longer" muttered the girl before she felt asleep. She laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart. He was quite warm too, which was a bonus.

Little did they know that there was a surprise coming their way.


	7. Chapter 7: The reveal

I apologize for the long wait! Here is the last chapter in the story! I have to say, it looks a lot better than it used to.

Reviews and/or constructive criticism are much appreciated!

* * *

Chapter seven: The reveal.

'Note to self: Make sure to get to the right side of the gate' thought the male. He had decided to use the underground route for travelling. Unfortunately, Byron miscalculated where the Oreburgh gate was. He emerged halfway into Oreburgh gate as a result. Said area was full of hyperactive Zubats. 'No wonder Koga got to the elite four. Making a Zubat evolve all the way to a Crobat must be a hard process' recalled the man. He brushed some dirt off his clothes before he continued his journey.

A smile formed at his face when Oreburgh city came into the sight. The steel man used to live here for quite a while. It felt like a second home to him. 'Better call Roark to check if he is awake' decided the male. He picked up his phone and called his son. Today was a great day for an underground journey. It was a bit chilly outside, but not cloudy. The traffic at the underground was rather low as well.

* * *

'Huh?' thought the male when he heard the phone buzzing. He noticed the sleeping female laying on his chest. 'Why is - oh. That's right' recalled Roark. His cheeks went bright pink once his memory kicked into gear. The guy stretched out his hand and picked up the phone. "Hello? It's Roark" greeted the rock pokemon user. "Hello Roark! How're you doing?" greeted a familiar voice in the other end.

"I-I am fine dad! Why are you calling? Did something happen?" inquired the young man. "No, not at all! I just wanted to remind you that today is our monthly underground day" replied his father. The Oreburgh gym leader suddenly remembered what day it was today. He and his father always went to the underground once a month. It was usually in the end of each month when they were both off duty.

'SHOOT! I forgot! Oh well. Gardenia is leaving today anyways. I suppose I can just say she is joining us for lunch. That seems reasonable' decided the male. "All right dad. I thought we could eat brunch at my apartment before we get started. I bet you're hungry after traveling from Canalave" told the auburn-haired man. "You're right about that. I will be at your apartment in an hour. See you son!" replied the Canalave gym leader. "See you dad" answered the young man. He hung up the phone.

"Who was that?" asked Gardenia. She looked up at him with curious eyes. He let out a small sigh. "Sorry for breaking the moment. It was my dad. He's coming over in an hour. We're going to the underground today. I'm so sorry. I thought we would not have - you know" ranted her boyfriend. A smile formed at her face. "I think we need to get out of bed anyways. I can make the bed while you make some brunch" suggested the the young woman. "I second that" said the male. He got up from bed and put on his clothes.

His burgundy eyes sneaked a look at the ginger. 'Keep calm. Dad is not on my doorstep. He said he would be here in an hour' recalled Roark. Next, he put on a T-shirt before he went to the kitchen. 'Let's see. I need to make some green tea for Gardenia. Pretty sure dad wants some coffee. I definitely need coffee as well. Next, I need to make some toast for us. Better ask Gardenia what she wants' decided the guy. He walked back to the bedroom to ask her. Shouting would just wake up his neighbors.

'What the-' thought the rock pokemon user when he looked inside his room. His girlfriend was throwing things around while her pokemon was sorting it. The male cleared his throat to announce his presence. "What do you want for breakfast Gardenia?" inquired the auburn-haired guy. She nearly froze on the spot. He struggled very hard not to laugh. Yes, the state of her plus his room was hilarious. However, she only wanted to help him. "I'll be fine with some oatmeal porridge with apple. Or a cucumber sandwich" replied the ginger.

"I'll make you a sandwich. Thank you so much for cleaning my room" told the guy. "You're welcome" told the female. He smiled as he returned to the kitchen. The guy sliced up six slices of bread. Next, he put two slices in the toaster. 'Dad should be here in 15 minutes or so. The toast smells quite...rosy? Hold on. Something strange is going on' realized the Oreburgh gym leader. He followed the scent trail. It lead to his bedroom.

'PLEASE let that be the soap!' prayed the male. He was by no means afraid of everything feminine. The miner appreciated cologne plus a clean room. However, he did not use rose scented soap or vanilla scented perfume. Suddenly, the door opened. "Done Roark! I vacuumed the bedroom and cleaned the sheets! Sorry if the rose scent is a bit strong. I'm afraid SOMEONE got a bit carried away" informed the grass pokemon user. A somewhat ashamed Roserade stood next to the bed. _"I'm sorry"_ muttered the pokemon.

"Don't be sad Roserade. I'm know you tried to help. Why did you ask Roserade to use that rose-smelling move though?" inquired Roark. His eyes were now on his girlfriend. Oddly enough, there was a tinge of red on her cheeks. "I-I did not wanted the room to smell like - ahem - sex. Especially since your dad was coming over. I KNOW we're old enough to have sex Roark. However, I don't want my boyfriends dad to know what we're doing" ranted the young woman.

What she said made a bit of sense. Especially the latter part. "I have an idea Gardenia. Why don't we just open the window for a little while? I'm sure some fresh air should do the trick" suggested the young man. "Brilliant! I'm on it!" replied the Eterna gym leader. Her boyfriend went back to the kitchen. 'Phew. The toast looks great. I guess I just have to chop up some apple for us. Oh, I better make the coffee' realized the rock pokemon user. He put the next two slices in the toaster.

* * *

"Thank you for opening the window Roserade. Better make sure I got everything" muttered the female. Roserade was sitting next to the bed. Tangerine eyes glanced at her luggage. Her laundry was in a separate bag from her clean clothes. Her toiletries laid in a bright yellow bag with cherry blossom print.

She smiled while looking at it. The Oreburgh gym leader gave her that bag for her birthday. 'Hey, get back to Sinnoh Gardenia! Check the luggage!' mentally chided the quirky woman. Her eyes shifted towards the bag. 'I still got some of the snacks Candice gave me. I'll give those to my pokemon when we get home. Oh, I better throw these in the trash' realized Gardenia when she saw some plastic wrappers.

She picked them up and was about to walk out of the room. A loud bang made her stop in her tracks. "Coming!" shouted her boyfriend. The female peeked out of the room. A small 'clank' could be heard. "Hello dad. How're you?" inquired Roark. "I'm AWESOME! What's that nice smell?" replied Byron. "That's our lunch. I have made toast. By the way, Gardenia is joining us" informed the young man.

"Really now? That's great. I have not seen here in months" told the older man. She let out a sigh of relief. 'I can throw these away later' decided the ginger. "Roserade, I'm going to throw away these a little later. I will be in the kitchen if something happens" told the young woman. _"Understood"_ replied her pokemon. Her trainer laid the wrappers in the suitcase before she left the room.

"Hello Byron! It's been a while" greeted the young woman with a smile. "Hello Gardenia! I have not seen you in ages. How are you doing?" asked the older man. "I'm doing quite well. My gym has been quite busy lately. Hence why I decided to take a trip up north. My grass pokemon needed some ice and snow training. Those ice types are really pesky" replied the grass pokemon user. "I feel your pain. Me and Roark feel the same about water types. Let's sit down. I am starving" stated the steel type trainer.

The trio sat down to eat. In the middle of the table stood a bread basket with eight slices of toast. On the right side laid a plate with sliced cucumber, ham, cheese plus sliced tomato. Standing on the left was a water boiler plus a thermos. Lastly was a small plate with scrambled eggs on it. The female noticed the two tea bags on her plate. A bright smile formed at her face. "There is coffee in the thermos dad. Gardenia, I have hot water in the boiler" informed her boyfriend. "Thank you so much Roark! I feel so lucky to have a boyfriend who knows what I like" stated the Eterna gym leader.

"You're welcome Gardenia. I'm glad we can eat together. You can go first dad" told the male. His father picked up three slices of bread, scrambled eggs plus sliced tomato. "Can you please pass me the salt?" inquired the older male. His son gave him the salt before he poured himself some coffee. "Let's eat!" stated the burgundy-haired man. He took a huge bite of his egg sandwich two seconds later. The young woman felt her eyes go wide. 'I have to say. He really knows how to appreciate his food' observed Gardenia.

"So, which route are we taking today dad?" inquired the rock pokemon user. His father swallowed his toast. "I am glad you asked! I thought we could explore the underground route close to the mine. Pretty sure there are several items we can dig out there. If not, we can check our spheres. They're probably massive by now" replied the Canalave gym leader. "I hope we find some fossiles. The museum is doing an exhibit in six weeks. It would be great if I could give them something to exhibit. Especially since they borrowed us some pokemon recently" informed the younger man.

She poured some water into her tea cup. The female was about to put on two slices of cucumber when she felt something poke her thigh. Tangerine eyes glanced down to see what it was. The 'what' turned out to be a 'who'. Her Roserade to be more exact. Her eyes looked at the male duo. They were busy talking about their trip to the underground. "What is it Roserade?" whispered the ginger. _"I got something on my right leg. I can't remove it"_ told her partner. Her trainer glanced down at the pokemon's right leg. She bit her tongue when she saw what it was.

Roserade somehow managed to get a familiar looking wrapper glued onto its leg. It was something her boyfriend used last night. "Don't worry. I'll remove it after lunch. Just stay put under the table and I'll help you" promised the young woman. "What are you looking at Gardenia?" inquired the male. "Er - my Roserade. It just felt a little lonely" replied the Eterna gym leader. The steel gym leader let out a yawn before he stretched out his legs.

His feet knocked into the poor Roserade from behind. _"WHOA!"_ exclaimed the pokemon. It tumbled forwards while its arms flailed in the air. Thankfully, it managed to get a grip on something. That "something" was a pair of male legs. "AUCH!" hissed Roark when he felt the thorns dig into him. He looked down to see how the situation was. The grass pokemon held onto his legs with both of its arms. Its scarlet eyes were still wide. "Hey Roserade. Don't worry. I'll help you" assured the young man. He gave the pokemon a friendly smile. Fortunately, Roserade relaxed its grip.

Burgundy eyes studied the pokemon's body. 'Roserade does not have any spikes or flowers on its torso. I suppose I can lift it like a child' decided the rock pokemon user. He bent down and lifted the grass pokemon up from the floor. "Pst! Look at its leg!" hissed his girlfriend. She pointed towards her pokemon's right leg. The male looked at it. His eyes widened at the sight. 'SHOOT! No wonder Gardenia wanted Roserade to stay under the table!' realized the auburn-haired man. _"What is it? It's just a sticker"_ stated the grass pokemon. She had a blank stare on her face.

"Hey, what's on her leg?" inquired the older man. "NOTHING!" replied his son plus his girlfriend in loud voices. The Canalave gym leader blinked before the younger man stood up. "Sorry dad. I think we need to help out Roserade. We'll be back in a few. Stay here" told the Oreburgh gym leader. He walked into the living room with Roserade in his arms. Her trainer was right behind.

* * *

"That was a close call" muttered the young woman. "It was" replied her boyfriend. He sat down the pokemon on the sofa. "Where did you find this Roserade?" inquired Roark. The grass pokemon simply pointed at the floor. "I KNEW IT! I should have thrown it in the trash!" muttered the young man. He facepalmed while his girlfriend started to remove the wrapper. Her slim fingers pulled the wrapper off her pokemon in just a few seconds.

"There we go. I'll just throw it in the trash with my wrappers. Just tell your father that Roserade is fine. I'm sure he'll understand" assured the Gardenia. He nodded before he returned to the table. "What happened with Roserade just now?" inquired the older male. There was a curious gleam in his eyes. "Sorry about that dad. Roserade just stepped into some garbage. Gardenia says she's fine" informed the rock pokemon user. He sat down and took a sip of his coffee.

"You know...I can swear I've seen that kind of wrapper before. Pretty sure it was in a commercial" recalled Byron. His son nearly choked on the coffee. The condoms he used were often advertised in some magazines his dad read. He prayed that his father would not remember the advert "Oh! Now I remember! It was a commercial for - ". He was interrupted when the male next to him started coughing. The man immediately slapped him between the shoulder blades. "Holy Arceus! What is going on?" stated the female. Her eyes were wide in surprise.

Her boyfriend leaned back before he took a deep breath. "I'm - fine. Just - choked - on the coffee. Too hot" gasped the Oreburgh gym leader. His father patted his shoulder. "There you go. Did you got rid of that wrapper on Roserade?" inquired the steel pokemon trainer. "Er - yes" replied the ginger. The older man noticed that her cheeks went light pink. 'Why is she so embarrassed? Roserade did not vomit on me or anything' thought the Canalave gym leader. "Glad to hear. I am done with my breakfast. Thanks for the food son. It was great" stated the male. "You're welcome dad. Let's clean up" told his child.

The young woman put her tableware in the dishwasher. "Thanks for the lunch Roark. I-I just need to throw some trash before I leave. Have a nice day in the underground Roark" told the grass pokemon user. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, making him blush. Byron however was putting food into the fridge. 'Now is my chance!' realized the female. The Eterna gym leader nearly leaped towards the trash can with all her wrappers. Tangerine eyes glanced at the offending condom wrapper that was glued inside one of them. Once it was disposed, she closed the bedroom window. The rose scent was weaker now. It smelled a bit like soap.

"See you later!" told the young woman before she left. "See you!" replied the male duo. The door closed seconds later. "So...how was the Iron islands dad?" inquired the auburn-haired man. "It was GREAT! We did some special training with all of our pokemon on the first day. I helped out Riley strengthen parts of the cave on the second day. We bathed in some hot springs on the third day. You should go there. Maybe even bring some of your friends" suggested the man.

What he said made his child gulp loudly. "Er...yeah. I think that sounds like a great idea" replied the younger man. He laid the remaining tableware and cutlery into the dishwasher. "Let's go kid! I can't WAIT!" stated the steel man with a grin. The enthusiasm in his voice made the Oreburgh gym leader smile.

* * *

They left the apartment complex and headed straight for the mines. Not even the rain clouds above put a damper on their spirits. Today was a day off for most of the miners. Only a few Machokes plus two managers were at work that day. All of them were enforcing some beams. "Keep up the good work everyone! We're just going to the underground" informed the male as they approached them. "Thank you. Have a nice day Roark" replied the man. "You too" replied Roark.

Both of the miners went to the second level of the cave. The faint light from the lamps plus the ventilation humming just added to the atmosphere. "This looks like a good spot Roark. Let's start here" suggested Byron. He pointed at a spot that was between two very strong walls. "I second that. Let's begin!" stated his son. The duo entered the underground a few moments later.

"What's your plan kid?" inquired the older male. "I am going to check some spheres I buried near my base. Next, I will look for some treasures. Fingers crossed that I find some fossiles. Do you have anything particular in mind?" replied Roark. "I was thinking of a treasure hunt. Maybe I'll bury some spheres. Let's meet here in an hour. Sounds good?" suggested the man. His son nodded. The duo split up a few moments later.

The steel pokemon trainer went south while the rock pokemon user walked east. Onyx coloured eyes looked at the walls in the search for a good place to dig. 'I have to say...that bulge looks quite suspicious' observed the male. He grinned as he walked over to the wall. The Canalave gym leader started to break apart the rock with his pick axe.

His assumptions were right. Inside the suspicious bulge laid a couple of items. The man carefully removed three of the items before the wall collapsed. 'Three out of four is not bad. I'm sure this is a hard stone. That will come in handy. Item number two is definitely a red sphere. I think I need to bury that one. It's pretty small' observed the miner.

'My third item here is definitely a heart scale. I'll save that for later. I may have a pokemon that - huh? What's this?'. The man raised his brows when he noticed something on the back of the scale. He turned the item around to see what it was. The 'something' was a silver wrapper of some sort. 'I don't think that is an item. However, it looks very familiar somehow. Where have I seen it?' thought Byron.

He closed his eyes while his mind replayed his day so far. 'I don't have this item at home. The foil thing was not in a commercial on TV. However, I saw an advert in that magazine. I went to Oreburgh city next. Gardenia was there. She did not have the item. Neither did Roark. Then, her Roserade appeared during brunch. It was -'. His mind came to a halt. The foil on the heart scale was near identical to the wrapper on Roserade.

The male tried to remember the advert he saw in the magazine. 'It was not food. Nor was it any household item. Was it a hygenic product? No. It was after the women interview section. So that concludes - EUUURGH!'. The steel pokemon user ripped the foil off the heart scale. Next, he wrapped the foil into some tissue paper. 'Holy Arceus! Why can't people throw these things in the - wait a little. Roark and Gardenia looked very uncomfortable when I saw the wrapper on Roserade. So they knew what it was. Does that mean - oh'.

His eyes went wide with realization. That explained the discomfort, why Gardenia was there plus the faint rosy smell. The man felt a wry smile form at his face. 'Well, what do you know? Looks like my son has matured more than I expected. Good thing he's playing it safe' thought the Canalave gym leader. He laid the treasures into his tool belt and walked further down the cave.


End file.
